a delicious weekend

Who loves a girls weekend? Me, that’s who. Some of my very besties from college got together this weekend in Oxford to celebrate my dear Amy’s impending nuptials (we all wore these lovely "brasages" from Miss Ruby Sue's Etsy shop...so darling!). And between the lingerie shower, the shopping and the eating, it was a much-needed estrogen-packed getaway. You should see the chairs I got! Thanks to Anna and Kate for getting them home for me.

It’s been way too long since I’ve posted a Delicious Dish, so this one is practically three recipes in one – the peanut butter fudge and the easy chocolate fudge are both wonderful on their own and would be great basic recpies if you want to add to it and make it fancy. But slap them on top of Rice Krispy Treats, and you’ve got a wonderful sugar coma waiting to happen. If loving these is wrong, I don’t wanna be right.

Peanut Butter Fudge Treats (or Devil Bars, as I have affectionately dubbed them - so good, they're BAD, baby)

(Photo and recipe from that adorable Joy the Baker)

Part 1 - Rice Krispy Treats
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 package (10 oz., about 40) regular marshmallows OR - 4 cups miniature marshmallows
6 cups Rice Krispy Cereal (or any puffed rice cereal)

1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.
2. Add Rice Krispies cereal. Stir until well coated.
3. Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. ( You may want to line your pan with parchment paper or waxed paper large enough to have flaps hanging over the sides. This will make it easy to pull the giant block of goodness out of the pan when it's done. I just forgot this step. But as recorded in the comments below, some people had trouble with the wax paper sticking to the Krispie treats. A well sprayed pan might just be your best bet!) Cool. Make Peanut Butter Fudge. (*My mom taught me a great trick for pressing Krispy Treats into the pan – wet your hands with a little water and press the batter in. It doesn’t stick! I promise!)

Part 2 - Peanut Butter Fudge
recipe from Alton Brown via Joy the Baker
1 cup butter, plus more for greasing pan
1 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pound powdered sugar

Microwave butter and peanut butter for 2 minutes on high. Stir and microwave on high for 2 more minutes (I didn’t do it quite that long – I was afraid it would burn). Add vanilla and powdered sugar to peanut butter mixture and stir to combine with a wooden spoon. Pour over the Rice Krispy treats in the pan and spread evenly. Let cool in the fridge while you make the Chocolate Fudge. (*Shut the front door with this fudge. She’s not kidding about the wooden spoon – a flexible spatula just won’t cut it. This stuff is dangerous on its own – be sure an acceptable amount gets in the pan and stays away from your mouth.)

Part 3 - Easy Chocolate Fudge
2 Tbsp butter
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 2/3 cups sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla

Combine butter, milk, sugar, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil; cook 4 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in marshmallows, chocolate, and vanilla,. Beat for about 1 minute, or until marshmallows melt and mixture is thoroughly combined. Pour over peanut butter fudge, spread evenly and place in the fridge to harden and cool. Cut into 1-inch pieces or smaller and give to your friends. They'll thank you, sort of.

The only problems I ran into with this recipe were a) getting the whole thing out of the pan, and b) sometimes the layers came apart when I was cutting them up. I’m thinking maybe if I let the whole thing come to room temp before I cut into pieces it might solve the problem. I think I’ll email my new friend, Joy, and see if she can help us out.

Have a great week!

yay yay yay

It’s finally Friday, readers!

I’m heading north to Oxford for my dear friend Amy’s bachelorette weekend, wishing I were taking with me these super fly peacock earrings from Etsy. With or without new ear bobs, I cannot wait to see all my buddies from our college days.

What are your plans? Here's hoping you enjoy yourself!

wish list wednesday

What am I wishing for this Wednesday?

(photo and recipe courtesy of Joy the Baker)

* To not get the swine flu…or whatever we’re calling it now.

* A Viking food processor. A nice little happy, I say.

* To whip up some of these Cinnamon Roll Muffins from Joy the Baker’s adorable blog. Perhaps a new Delicious Dish is in the works… And I'd like to be her friend.

* A piece from J.Crew’s new jewelry collection – so very lovely!

* To become a good amateur photographer.

What’s your wish?

old friends and bookends

We’re back from the Delta!

I mentioned Friday that Kell and I were headed to his 10-year class reunion, and we had a great time. There’s something that comforted me about the fact that most people hadn’t changed at all – just a little older. My reunion is in a couple of weeks, and I can only hope that I have a tad more style than I did in high school. But, we all want that, right? I mean, denim overalls can only get you so far… (Not only did I have some, but I wore them in one of my senior portraits. Don’t judge.)

On another note, I’m trucking right along with my C25K program. However, today I have to run for 3 minutes. 3 MINUTES! Without stopping! That’s twice as long as this last week! I’m not going to lie – I’m a little intimidated. But this is a necessary step to reach my goal, and I am determined to get there…even if it kills me.

Oh, and my phone is on the fritz. Great.

tgif

Happy Friday!

I don’t know about you out there, but this week has seemed looooooong to me. Kell and I are Delta-bound this weekend for his 10-year high school class reunion (how is this possible, by the way?), and I cannot wait to see my college friends. So many Kappa Chis (you know who you are)!

What are your plans this weekend? I hope they’re sweet.

hellenic pride

My dad sent this to me months ago, and I saved it because it makes me smile every time I read it. Just think of the Greeks you know and how true this is… Can’t you just hear Gus on My Big Fat Greek Wedding reading it to you? (The picture is of Patmos, the small town where my family is from.)

Why I am proud to be Greek:

Because nights in Greece finish in the morning.
Because we drink our coffee slowly and not in gulps.
Because flirting is our national pastime.
Because we go out almost every night, even if we are penniless.
Because we respect our grandmothers sometimes more than our wives.
Because we know how to spend better than we know how to save.
Because we never visit others empty-handed...we bring a cake or a bottle of wine.
Because we do not share the cost of gasoline with those traveling with us.
Because the word “filotimo” (helping someone because it is the right thing to do) doesn't exist in any other language.
Because whenever foreigners cannot find a word, they bloody steal one of ours!
Because we always make it, albeit in the last moment.
Because we love and hate with passion.
Because we spend our bad and low times with our friends and family; not with therapists and counselors.
Because Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle were Hellenic and we still quote them!
Because we invented the theatre.
Because we gave birth to Democracy.
Because we jump-started science.
Because we are proud of our culture, not of our wars.
Because when we were building the Parthenon, the others were still sleeping under trees.
Because when others created wars, we created the Olympic Games to stop wars.
Because we don't use ketchup or mayonnaise with our food!
Because we get angry quickly, but forget about it even more quickly.
Because Greek men are not ashamed to cry.
Because we dance when we are sad and party when we are happy.
Because we work to live and do not live to work.
Because 97% of the cosmic stars are named after Hellenics.
Because although we know danger well, we dare.
Because when you shout “adelfi” (brother) in the streets, everyone turns around.
Because “Greeks do not fight like heroes; heroes fight like Greeks.” (Winston Churchill, 1941)
Because we speak loudly and laugh even louder!
No one will love you more deeply than a Greek.

“S’agapo” to all my readers out there!

wish list wednesday

What am I wishing for this Wednesday?

* To learn how to be an Ebay queen. Perhaps I should get the free DVD from the Video Professor.

* A super cute dress to wear to my reunion in a month-ish.

* To know who all reads my blog. Don’t be shy!

* These new boots for fall. MK, you got me thinking about them again…

* And for my dear friend, Claire, to have a perfect birthday! I miss you like Junior Mints!

What’s your wish?