She Says: Pizza and Jewelery … and a Scone
Thank you all for your positive response to the Hangry Pants Food Drive! You are the best readers. Mark and I are amazed that people read and seem to enjoy what we write and just wanted to express our gratitude in some small way. The Food Drive will go until December 22, so pass the message on to everyong you know! Remember, one comment per person.
After school, a small amount of goldfish crackers and a nice run, I went to a Sipalda jewelry party. I bought cute earings for my nieces for Christmas. I hope they like them. I also learned that the ring finger on my left hand is less than a size five, but my ring finger on my right hand is a 5. Odd? Actually, I guess that makes sense. I’ve always suspected my right foot is slightly bigger.
On the way there I said, “I hope there are Pizza Strips,“ and guess what … there were! I was v. excited to munch on pizza. My first plate was one pizza strip, one tomato piece, hummus w/ broccoli, peppers, cauliflower and carrots. My second plate was more pizza!!!
I avoided the sweets for much of the event, but these little blueberry scones were cute and I caved.
Now, I chose the scone over a brownie because I know what the brownies taste like. I would guess they were Dunkin Heinz. I like them, but have had them plenty of times. The scones were from Whole Foods and I’ve always wanted to try them, but never wanted to buy a whole container. They were tasty, but now I know what they’re like and don’t have to be curious any longer.
Cookie of the Day: Ginger Chewies
As explained yesterday, each day until Christmas (or until I run out), I’ll feature a new cookie in my family’s cookie making routine. Yesterday was Pignoli (or pine nut cookies).
I found this recipe at yumsugar and tried it for the first time last year and boy did I love them! I don’t really like crispy gingerbread type cookies, but these are chewy, soft and reallllly good.
Now, the only thing I changed about the recipe below as that I did not make supersized cookies. I made smaller, regular sized cookies as to not overwhelm the other cookies on the tray.
(Super Sized) Ginger Chewies
From Elinor Klivans’s Big Fat Cookies
2 ¼ cups unbleached all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp cloves
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter at room temp.
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
¼ cup molasses
about ¼ cup granulated sugar
Position a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Sift the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves into a medium bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and brown sugar until smoothly blended, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed during mixing. Add the egg and molasses and mix until blended and an even light brown color, about 1 minute. On low speed, add the flour mixture, mixing just to incorporate.
Spread the granulated sugar on a large piece of wax or parchment paper. Roll ¼ cup of dough between the palms of your hands into a 2 inch ball, roll the ball in the sugar and place on one of the prepared baking sheets. Continue making cookies, spacing them 2 inches apart.
Bake the cookies one sheet at a time until the tops feel firm, but they are still soft in the center and there are several large cracks on top, about 14 minutes. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then use a wide metal spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Makes 9-12 cookies. (I did not make giant cookies. I did smaller ones.)
Stevia News
I heard today that Stevia might be approved by the FDA soon and coke and pepsi are braced to release sodas with the sweetener asap. Well, I am after reading In Defnese of Food I am more cynical about the government’s role in approving and promoting foods, so I don’t really care about this news. I also think stevia is gross. It has a weird aftertaste and is oddly sweet. Maybe I tried the wrong brand or something. What do you think about this potential move by the FDA?
Tags: cookies, hummus, pizza strips, recipes, scone, vegetables
December 2nd, 2008 at 11:40 pm
Have you read SKinny Bitch..it sort of scared me about all sweetners!
December 2nd, 2008 at 11:41 pm
I am so lame – sorry I commented twice on the last post (imagine my embarrassed face right now).
Yuck to Stevia.
December 2nd, 2008 at 11:52 pm
Amanda: I didn’t read it, but I’ve heard about and my sister read it. I recently cut out splenda and am using much less sweet stuff in general. Maybe one day, I’ll just stop altogether.
Rose: No embarrassed face! Enthusiasm never hurt anyone.
December 2nd, 2008 at 11:54 pm
Look like a funnnnn little party! Good food! I use sugar. A little bit of sugar and I feel good about it.
December 2nd, 2008 at 11:56 pm
I will DEFINITELY try these cookies! I can’t believe you didn’t cave on those brownies!
December 2nd, 2008 at 11:56 pm
I’m not a huge fan of artificial sweeteners mostly because I just can’t stand the taste. If it’s a small enough quantity (like, for my coffee) I figure I might as well the real thing.
And also, that party spread looks AMAZING. I admire your willpower… I would have been all over that fruit tart!
December 3rd, 2008 at 12:07 am
I like stevia in small amounts. I don’t see how people can handle a whole packet in their coffee. Yuck.
I generally don’t care what the FDA, or USDA, says. I highly recommend Marion Nestle’s book “Food Politics” if you haven’t read it already. I think the government is generally more interested in helping food companies than individuals.
December 3rd, 2008 at 12:07 am
my left hand is smaller than my right hand too!
lol that is funny that you hoped for pizza strips because it seems to random! but then, there were pizza strips so i guess it wasn’t so random =)
December 3rd, 2008 at 12:10 am
what a fun party! love jewelry…and the pizza strips look great!
December 3rd, 2008 at 12:11 am
I would have gone for the brownies, but to each her own!
December 3rd, 2008 at 12:11 am
Holy cow those look amazing! Maybe I will make them for this weekend, just because! I can always bring them into work, and I’m sure they will dissappear there!
December 3rd, 2008 at 12:14 am
I have not tried stevia yet…I have heard the same thing you said about the after taste so I have been hesitant to give it a try.
Are those blueberry scones from Whole Foods? They look very similar to their Two-Bite Lemon Poppyseed scones that are really delicious.
Have a great night!
December 3rd, 2008 at 12:48 am
And I always find myself eating Ginger Snaps and loving the flavor but hating the toughness. Those cookies sound amazing!
That is REALLY interesting about Stevia! Maybe I should get crazy and go try it. Sometimes I wish we could go back in the 90’s when we were all consuming aspartame without a care in the world….
December 3rd, 2008 at 1:33 am
I don’t trust the FDA either… I’ve read a lot of stuff (like in “Skinny Bitch”) that points to them being corrupt.
I still eat processed foods but I try to balance it out with non-processed foods, and I hope that will keep my body happy/healthy.
December 3rd, 2008 at 1:44 am
I actually don’t think I have tried a scone before. -lol-
But delicious eats – everything looks pretty!
And thanks for sharing such a great recipe!
December 3rd, 2008 at 1:47 am
Sorry – thanks for clearing up the multiple comment thing!! You are both wonderful.
Mm…pizza strips! Those look so good right now – I think I need a snack before bed because your pictures are making my stomach growl! Good work
I love your cookie of the day idea!!
My thought on the FDA news: skeptical, as always.
December 3rd, 2008 at 2:30 am
If you are a righty then your right hand’s muscles are more developed thus causing the difference in size of your ring finger.
December 3rd, 2008 at 7:16 am
great eats and thanks for sharing the recipe!!! I’m collecting all them!!!
and i have my right foot right finger bigger than left’s too! I think it’s pretty normal that we have un-even sizes!
December 3rd, 2008 at 7:22 am
Ah, thanks Dhwanil. I am a righty!
December 3rd, 2008 at 8:11 am
That looks like a fun party!! Pizza strips sound so good…
I don’t like stevia either, at all!! I’m trying to cut out artificial sweeteners, but i’ve found that a tsp. of sugar does the trick in my coffee!
December 3rd, 2008 at 8:22 am
(i’m a little ashamed to admit it) but i read a little bit of in defense of food, and i just couldn’t stay hooked. i love food and love nutrition-but it did not work for me.
Any good suggestions for books?!
and ps-i have not tried stevia-but i want to! (and agave nectar) is the brand called Nustevia or something?
December 3rd, 2008 at 8:55 am
I agree with Laura. Government food agencies really only have one true agenda and that is to keep big corporations happy.
December 3rd, 2008 at 9:11 am
You have small fingers! My rings size is HUGE – I have wide knuckles so it makes sense. All the food looks delish! How did you like the WF scone?
December 3rd, 2008 at 9:12 am
Jewelry party + that fruit tart on the table + Ginger Chewies = fun and delish!!
The FDA is sketchy.
December 3rd, 2008 at 9:44 am
I’m the same way after reading In Defense of Food. It’s funny because I thought that book didn’t have much new information for me, but somehow he put it all together and I keep thinking about the book as an inspiration to eat cleaner and more organic foods. I cut out artificial sweetners too, and Stevia is an artificial sweetner in my opinion.
I’ve been to those Sipalda parties (having another one next week I think) but our food spread is never this impressive
Glad you found some goodies!!
December 3rd, 2008 at 9:51 am
Heather, Your party food looks great. I have not tried Stevia as of yet but i am in agreement with you thus far.
zesty
December 3rd, 2008 at 10:20 am
the party food looks awesome! i’m the same way about sweets- if i know what it tastes like, i feel like there’s no point in eating it again when i can try something new!
i use stevia, but only because it’s the only way i could get away from splenda. i’m hoping to eventually ween myself off all artificial sweeteners completely.
hope that you have a wonderful day!
December 3rd, 2008 at 10:31 am
same thing happened to me after reading in defense of food. and also skinny bitch, and some others. just absolutely NO FAITH in the fda … thinking that the dairy + meat markets have people in the places that matter who are coming up with the regulations.
December 3rd, 2008 at 10:40 am
I dont usually use stevia but my sister does because her dentist told her to cut out all sugar- she has really sensitive teeth and was getting two fillings a month.. i guess the sugar was eroding her enamel or something! so even though she eats really healthy.. she had to do something! she doesnt mind the taste of it and i’ve only had it a couple of times!
im still with the everything in moderation bunch- where too much of anything is bad for you. and just to make sure your added sugar intake is not too high and you should be fine!
December 3rd, 2008 at 11:11 am
Elina – Stevia is NOT an artificial sweetner! If you get pure Stevia and not one of the weird blends, then it’s as real as sugar cane, just a different plant! As to the funny taste, you should try NuNaturals brand of stevia. It’s pure and doesn’t have that weird anise-tasting aftertaste.
I’m not too psyched about the gov’t giving it the thumbs up though – something tells me the quality of stevia used will not be so very pure. and seriously if you’re drinking a coke you’re not too concerned with chemicals, so why use stevia if not to be able to slap an “all-natural” label on it so people can think their making a smart choice when they drink it. That drives me crazy when people do that!!!
Ok, sorry for the vent… the cookies look super yum by the way!
December 3rd, 2008 at 11:26 am
point #1: i am totally with you on the fda. i am so cynical now.
point #2: i also love pizza strips, and thank you for sharing your reasoning for picking scone over brownie.
point #3: my ring finger is a 4.75, and my right hand ring finger is a 5, just like you, which is really weird because I am a lot bigger than you. and i know that my ring size is abnormally small for my 5′ 7″ height and such. just goes to show that sometimes measurements just don’t make sense.
December 3rd, 2008 at 11:53 am
i LOVE STEVIA!!!!!! i have it everyday in my coffee.
the fda is full of shit!
December 3rd, 2008 at 12:07 pm
I’ve been using stevia occasionally for years, and you just have to find the right brand, some do have a bitter aftertaste. I completely agree with Catherine that it’s a joke to make Coke or Pepsi “all natural” just because stevia is used. The FDA backing is nothing to write home except for the fact that if they do what they are supposed to once they give stevia the green light it should be in its purest form. Right now if you buy stevia, there is no oversight (like all “supplements”) so all kinds of impurities (other parts of the plant and who knows what else) could potentially be included so you are just going on the word of the manufacturer. If the FDA backs it, it will have to be tested in terms of its purity…supposedly….
Whew, ok I guess I had an opinion:) Pizza strips look amazing by the way…
December 3rd, 2008 at 12:09 pm
I haven’t tried Stevia, but that’s because it’s hard to find around here. I don’t believe everything that’s out there about artificial sweetners. I guess that comes from growing up a child of two chemists, one of who was a food chemist.
By the way, I didn’t see this until today, but I think it’s awesome about the food drive!
December 3rd, 2008 at 12:41 pm
I’m going to a Silpada party next Friday ! I was looking at the catalog and liked a lot of the stuff but most of it is more than my cheap self wants to spend haha. I will probably end up buying some earrings.
I agree with you on the Stevia, I don’t like it at all. I used to use Splenda on everything but significantly cut down after reading some info on it.
December 3rd, 2008 at 12:50 pm
I haven’t made the leap to Stevia yet, even being a diabetic. Splenda is my favorite artificial sweetener, but my husband and kids can always tell if I use it in baking – they say it has an aftertaste, I just can’t tell.
Nice spread at that party! Never heard of that jewelry company before – the one around our neck of the woods that looks similar is Lia Sophia.
December 3rd, 2008 at 12:55 pm
ginger cookies!!!!
December 3rd, 2008 at 1:16 pm
I use stevia instead of splend now (I don’t like it as much, though). One day calorie fears won’t rule our lives!
December 3rd, 2008 at 2:38 pm
Down with the FDA! Down with artificial sweeteners!
December 3rd, 2008 at 3:07 pm
I am so sorry I missed the food drive! What an amazingly magnanimous and creative idea, Heather! Even though I missed giving you my 2 cents (err 5 cents hehe), I’m still going to participate by using my own foodbuzz money this month to go buy food for the hungry. Thanks for the inspiration!
December 3rd, 2008 at 3:49 pm
In Defense of Food is a great book!
The jewelry party sounds like so much. And mmmm so much good food… those pizza strips remind me of the pizza they sell at the little shops in Italy!
December 3rd, 2008 at 4:45 pm
I’ve never tried stevia. Splenda gives me a headache; might try stevia as an experiment to see if it does as well.
December 3rd, 2008 at 7:51 pm
Where are those pizza strips from…..yummy? we do not have pizza strips in Mass.
December 3rd, 2008 at 8:13 pm
to be honest, i don’t feel great about any of the artificial sweeteners. how do we know what the long-term effects (and i mean decades) of substances so new? my personal strategy is just to use sugar when i really want something sweet, but not make sweet things a big part of my diet. then again, i like my coffee black and my yogurt plain, so maybe that’s easy for me to say. i have pretty much stopped drinking diet sodas, though, and now diet coke tastes really chemicall-y to me.
i of course immediately tried my wedding ring on my other hand. i think they’re the same size, but the ring felt so weird on my right hand!
December 3rd, 2008 at 10:16 pm
Awesome spread of food! Yum!
December 3rd, 2008 at 10:31 pm
I’ve only tried stevia once and i didn’t care for the aftertaste, either. My buff right hand is bigger than my left too. I can’t even get my wedding ring over my right ring finger knuckle!
December 3rd, 2008 at 11:03 pm
Look at those party munchies!! So good! Don’t you love when your cravings are answered
I think I would of gone with the scone too…or maybe a little of both hehe.
THe gingerbread coffee is really really good!! Yeah I’ve danced all my life, I love it so I’m grateful I can still find a way to perform
December 4th, 2008 at 12:21 am
haha that’s funny. my right foot is a whole 1/2 size bigger than my left foot. I am guessing that my left ring finger is smaller than my right ring finger also.
December 4th, 2008 at 10:43 am
What a great food set up at that party!
I think they can put Stevia in soda all they want, I’m still not going to drinking their chemical drink thank you very much.
December 5th, 2008 at 1:35 am
What a coincidence I read about you going to a Sipalda party on the same day I was looking at a Sipalda ad in a magazine thinking, “I wonder what kind of jewelry they make?”!
The fruit tart things from the party look friggin bomb! And hooray for pizza strips!
About the stevia…. I very rarely drink soda, and I’ve always stayed away from artificial sugar (much prefer real sugar! haha), so this news doesn’t really affect me much either.
December 5th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
I think it tastes gross. but maybe i was using it wrong.
I think if coke uses it, their diet soda will be better than what they use now.
January 4th, 2009 at 9:31 am
At first I didn’t know what you meant by pizza ’strips’…here in wny ALL pizzas are cut like that, unless you specifically say ‘pie cut’! So I think that is really cute!
Just found your blog (followed your link from another site) and I am really enjoying it!