The Lamb Experiment Part One

I decided to do a tester lamb,just to see if I can do it. First there was the form.

Then it was greasing the two sides. I used I Can't Believe It's Not Butter to grease it. If you're planning on making this lamb, then use big gobs of margarine or Baker's Joy,. Every dent and indentation has to be greased.

Onto flouring. I used my tried and true Stop and Shop flour. Again, I think I was a little too generous with it.Both sides do need to be coated but don't go overboard -like I did. Once that's done then it's time to prepare a tray or pan to catch any drippy batter.I lined a cookie sheet with tin foil.

                             Now it's time to mix. The Dream Whip recipe calls for four eggs

             Plus one package of cake mix. I used Duncan Hynes French vanilla along with one packet of Dream Whip. The liquid was just one cup of cold tap water - that's it. The Dream Whip is the sugary looking mix on the right

This is the batter , mixed with an electric mixer for four minutes.

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It takes five cups of batter to fill the pan. Make sure it's filled in evenly,especially around the head and ears.

You have to put four to five toothpicks in the neck area to make sure the head stays on. You can use skewers too, but it may look like Frankenlamb.Just be careful when it's sliced.

Now it's tying the neck and body to make sure that the batter doesn't outgrow the pan. You can use both foil and twine. I used both.

                                      Keep in mind that when baking the front of the lamb is the back. The       backside has a steam hole in it as indicated by the circles around it. Use it when you have to insert a cake thermometer (recommended) or a toothpick to check the cake's doneness.

There was enough extra batter to make four cupcakes.

The cupcakes took only twenty minutes. The lamb a good fifty , both in a 350 degree oven.

These were the best cupcakes I've ever made.I am definitely going to add Dream Whip to box mixes from now on (and maybe nix all that icing too)

This is the back side baked. The white is the flour which I now know I added too much. It can be scraped off with a butter knife or even a spoon.

This is the front. You can see the indentations for the eyes, mouth and nose.

It does have to be wrapped up for the night before frosting.Use Saran wrap to retain the moisture.

Tomorrow - the icing.

I don't know how my Mom did it, baking these for family, neighbors and friends. Hopefully mine will be just as loved. We'll see.

Tricks, Treats Or Favors

One of the best aspects of any party are the favors. Since Halloween is all about treats then make the favors at your costume party savory and sweet fun. These can be eaten as games are being played or later on as a nice snack at home.

Many party givers lean towards the sweet but savory favors are also a fun gift. Think flavored popcorn. in festive All Hallow's bags.Making the different flavors is easy to do.Start off with about twelve to sixteen cups of plain air-popped corn. For a zingy lemon -brown butter  heat six tablespoons of butter in a skillet until browned.It usually takes about seven minutes. Afterward, stir in one and a half teaspoons of lemon zest and toss. It can also just be a plain buttered, perfect for watching those scary movies. Give your popped corn a Mediterranean twist with the addition of za'atar, that spicy mix of sumac ,dried thyme, and sesame seeds . Or try it Cajun style with  cayenne pepper, oregano, black and red pepper. Another fun party bag treat is the classic  Chex mix. Again this is an easy make. It's a mix of all Chex cereals, rice , corn, and wheat tossed with mixed nuts and bite-sized pretzels, whether sticks or nuggets. Garlic and onion powder along with Worcester sauce is added for flavor. You can vary the recipe or tailor it to suit your guests' tastes with dashes of dried herbs , spices or even freshly ground pepper. The recipe may have to be altered a bit to suit those with wheat and nut allergies. Sunflower or pumpkin seeds can be subbed in. The last would be keeping with te holiday.

A bag full of sweet treats is always nice. Both big and little party guests love a favor bag of goodies.One of the most fun and festive is Halloween bark This can be made with white,tinted, dark or milk chocolate as the base. Candy corn, whether the traditional or new salted chocolate from Brach's is a definite add in.Popcorn is another . Many recipes call for caramel but just plain popcorn would  be better to prevent the bark from becoming too sweet.Some party givers add Oreos but plain chocolate wafers give the chocolate burst without all that sugary creme For some fun toss in a dash of cayenne pepper, however, be sparing with it..For the orange chocolate add the tiniest bit of orange juice for some citrusy bite. Cranberries are another fun and colorful add in.Give a homemade bark a burst of saltiness by throwing in some crushed pretzels. Break the finished candy into small pieces that fit easily into a goodie bag. Dipped Oreos are another fun  nosh . Coat them in white chocolate and then , using a toothpick, draw faces on them with melted dark or milk chocolate or edible ink. This last can be bought online or at craft shops such as Michael's. Oreos can also be dipped in orange chocolate and decorated like jack o lanterns. Encase them up in black or orange saran wrap and then tie with a black or orange bow.

Halloween party favors can be savory or sweet. They're fun mementos to be enjoyed at the party or afterwards. They definitely more treat than trick!

Gad= Zukes

Zucchini is in abundance right now,thanks to it being a garden favorite. By now almost everyone in the States has gotten a few from their gardens, or from a relative, friend or neighbor. This popular veggie should be cooked before it's stockpiled in fridges and pantries. There's a few tasty dishes that can be made, using the goodness of the season.

Zucchini or courgettes are summer squash and have to be treated like any squash. Before you do anything with them, scrub them to get rid of any residual dirt or pesticides. They can be frozen however most chefs recommend blanching the veggie first. Blanching is a easy process that is just a quick cook in hot water for only one minute. Doing such deactivates the enzymes that would otherwise cause the squash to become mushy or discolored. Do NOT add salt to the water too because it will soften the cell walls and again cause mushiness. Afterwards ,plunge the pieces in an ice water bath . One shocked or bathed arrange the piece son a baking sheet and pat dry with  paper towel to reduce ice crystals. They can be kept up to three months in the freezer. As for the fresh ones ,tightly wrap them in Saran wrap and store in the fridge. What is great about zucchini is that you can make them any way. Cut, dice , even turn into veggie spaghetti. They are one of the easiest vegetables to work with.

What are some good zucchini recipes? One of the simplest is slicing the zucchini into "coins" and then sautéing them in a mix of olive oil and butter (or margarine). Add  1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic along with salt and pepper for taste. This is a great side to any meat ,especially chicken or London Broil. You can add tomatoes and onions for a spin on ratatouille. This alone with French bread is an excellent meal , quick to make and satisfying to eat.If you're looking for trendy and healthy then make zucchini chips. These are baked coins with the addition of olive oil . Unlike kale ,that only takes a few minutes to crisp up, zucchini chips do take two hours in a 225 degree Farenheit. For a heartier dish, then make zucchini lasagna where sliced zucchini subs in for the lasagna noodles.The veggie can also be used in sweet recipes too. There's nothing like  zucchini bread.This spicy treat only takes two cups of grated zucchini. It's a great way of getting the kids to eat their veggies and it can even be turned into a muffin recipe.

Enjoy zucchini season. Make it as a delicious side or main dish. Have it as a fun snack or sweet dessert. Any way is a good way because it is a home chef's dream, tasty , healthy and versatile to use.