Butterscotch Pudding Cookies

I found this recipe in Mom's recipe box and had to try it. I do not remember these cookies, but they are delicious. I made these for a family party to celebrate Ryan's graduation from eighth grade over Memorial Day weekend. The cookies were well-received, so I will have to make them again.

Butterscotch is brown sugar and butter, so using butterscotch pudding mix in cookies makes them extra rich. The use of oats in the dough makes them seem a little healthier. When making these cookies, I made them small bite size cookies so that it would be easy to try one cookie without feeling guilty. The only problem is that it is hard to eat just one. I also added chocolate chips to half the batch.

Butterscotch Pudding Cookies 

• 1 cup flour
• 1/8 tsp. baking powder
• 1/8 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 pkg. instant butterscotch pudding mix
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Sift flour with baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix with rolled oats and dry pudding in a large bowl. Using a mixer, cut in the butter as for a pie crust. Add egg and vanilla; beat thoroughly. Drop  dough from teaspoon on a buttered cookie sheet. Press cookies with a fork. Bake at 350 for about 12 minutes or until delicately browned. Allow to cool. Enjoy!

Smoked Butt a/k/a Boiled Dinner

This recipe is a classic one that Mom made when we were kids. She called it boiled dinner because the name of the cut of meat used caused us all to be grossed out. And, the recipe is a classic boiled dinner that is prepared similar to corned beef. The cut of meat is smoked butt, which is pork shoulder that has been smoked. I had no idea why this cut of meat is known as butt so I did a bit of research and learned that the pork shoulder was a less desirable cut of pork, so they were often stored for later in a barrel which was known as a butt. So, eventually this cut of meat became known for the common storage container used.

Boiled dinner is sometimes known as New England Dinner because it was common in New England back in the day. By boiling the meat, a tougher cut becomes quite tender. And, cooking the vegetables in the pot with the meat makes this dinner very easy. Smoked butt used to be easy to find and inexpensive. Maybe it is the name that led it to be less popular, but it is now harder to find and more expensive. Luckily, my local butcher, Paulina Meat Market, always has it in stock. The taste is similar to ham, but subtler. Most importantly, it is a delicious meal.

Smoked Butt 

• 1-3 pound smoked butt
• 3 Tbsp. brown sugar
• cabbage
• 1 medium onion
• 2-3 potatoes

Place the meat in a Dutch oven. Fill with water to cover the meat and add the brown sugar. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for a total of about 40 minutes per pound. Chop the cabbage, onion, and potatoes into large pieces. When there is about 30 minutes left of cooking time, add the chopped vegetables to the Dutch oven. Return to boiling, then reduce heat and simmer for the remaining cooking time. Remove the meat and allow it to stand about 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with the drained vegetables. Enjoy!

Roasted Grapes

Mom loves Maggiano's, a Chicago-based Italian-American restaurant. When we go with all the family of more than 20 people, the food is family style. But, every now and then, just a few of us for dinner, so we can order anything. Not too long ago, MDS and I enjoyed a dinner at Maggiano's with Mom and a few others. Included with the dinner was a lovely dessert of pound cake with roasted grapes. I had never had roasted grapes before, but I loved them and had to give them a try on my own.

Roasting grapes concentrates the sugars, resulting in a jam-like consistency inside the grape, while the outside gets caramelized. The recipe is simple: toss grapes in olive oil, spread on a pan and roast for about 30 minutes. Seasonings, such as rosemary, could be added to give a nice savory taste to complement the sweetness of the grapes. I served these roasted grapes alongside the Swedish Coffee Cake. But they could also be served on crackers, salads, or on a cheese plate.

Roasted Grapes 

• 1 pound seedless grapes
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• seasonings (optional)

Toss the grapes in the olive oil and spread out on a baking sheet. Roast the grapes at 425 for 20 to 30 minutes, turning grapes after 10 to 15 minutes. Allow to cool. Enjoy!