Foodie Friday: Church Window Cookies

Well, dear reader, happy Black Friday. I hope your Thanksgiving was filled with love, laughter, family, friends, and good food. On this Friday after Thanksgiving, it almost pains me to write about food. By the time the day was done yesterday, I could not stand the smell of turkey. I didn't even eat dessert, dear reader. That is how overfilled I was after our meal. I made it a point to ask everyone what part of the meal they were most excited to eat. Not surprisingly, everyone had a different answer. I, however, am the only one who looks forward to the cranberry sauce and declares the cranberry sauce my favorite part of the meal. Each year, I make a double batch of cranberry sauce and eat it on everything from leftover turkey sandwiches to leftover dinner rolls. The poor cranberry sauce is underappreciated and overlooked.

From now until Christmas, I plan to share a Christmas cookie recipe with you. Some recipes have been in my family for years, while others are new or have been adopted into our holiday cookie repertoire. Although individuals come in and out of our lives, their impact and influence help us to grow, affect our perception of the world around us, and often expand our palate. Childhood friends, former boyfriends, college friends, and friends made at various jobs impacted my cooking style, introduced me to new creative ideas, and helped me become a more adventurous eater. My elementary and high school best friend introduced me to Italian peach wedding cookies. My Grandma Tillie always made jam-filled thumbprint cookies. My Grandma Haney made soft molasses cookies each Christmas, which were my favorite. Grambarb introduced me to peanut butter balls, which are at the top of The Bibbed Wonder's favorite cookie list. A former boyfriend's mother shared an easy, no-bake church window cookie recipe. When I make or eat each of these cookies, I am constantly reminded of the people who introduced me to the recipe.

My first real boyfriend's family became my second family in high school. I absolutely adored his mother. Jackie was from England, and I loved everything about this woman. From the way she spoke with her "charming" accent to her sense of humor and fiery temperament. Jackie was kind, fun to be with, and welcoming. I still remember being at her house during the holidays and helping her make what she called church window cookies. This easy, no-bake recipe was new to me, and because it included colorful marshmallows, it became one of my favorites.

It's been thirty years since Jackie has been part of my life, but to this day, I remember those cookies, the day we made them in her kitchen and the warmth of our relationship. I remember her with fondness. It has taken me thirty years to find a recipe close to the one she used when making these colorful, delightful cookies. This year will be the first time I will enjoy them again in more than thirty years.

Church Window Cookies

• ½ cup butter

• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

• 1 (10-ounce) package rainbow colored miniature marshmallows

• 2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

• parchment paper

  
  

Place butter in a 2 ½ quart glass or metal bowl. Place the bowl over a 3-quart saucepan of gently boiling water (the upper bowl should not touch the water). Cook over the simmering water until the butter is melted.

Add chocolate chips; stir until melted, then remove from heat. Let cool for 10 minutes at room temperature, stirring occasionally. 

Add marshmallows to melted chocolate; gently stir to coat.

Place two 15x18-inch pieces of parchment paper on the work surface. In the middle of each piece of parchment, place half of the chocolate marshmallow mixture and shape it into a 12-inch-long log using a rubber spatula.

Wrap logs tightly in the parchment and transfer them to the refrigerator; chill logs for 30 minutes.

Place two new 15x18-inch pieces of parchment paper on a work surface and sprinkle each with 1 cup of flaked coconut. Carefully transfer chilled logs (they will still be soft) to the new pieces of parchment with coconut.

Roll logs in coconut and gently press to cover the outside and sides fully.

Wrap coated logs tightly in the new parchment paper and chill until firm, at least 4 hours up to overnight.

When well chilled, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices.

Store in the refrigerator or freeze until ready to use.

On this snowy Black Friday, welcome the official start to the holiday season. Enjoy shopping if that is your thing, and take advantage of the great deals on our website. (Why go out in the cold when you can have fantastic soap shipped right to your door?) It's cookie-making time, so keep washing your hands.

Good People Raise The Best Turkey

Of course, I am in the middle of a deep belly laugh when I am with Jill. Of course, The Bibbed Wonder took the worst picture possible. Sigh...

The Bibbed Wonder and I went on a short trip to Greensburg to visit our friends Mike and Jill Little of Chaganra Farms. Although I would like to say it was a social visit, it was business—the business of picking up our Thanksgiving turkey. Mike and Jill have an interesting story. Mike was a civil engineer. After years at a high-stress job, his body told him enough was enough. Mike experienced symptoms similar to a heart attack. After seeking medical treatment, his doctor told him it was stress-related and that he would need to curb the stress in his life. Mike returned to work only to experience similar, frightening symptoms in a short amount of time. Rather than wait until he suffered an actual heart attack, he chose to leave his high-stress job and begin farming.

Although farming produces its own challenges, there is satisfaction in working for oneself, with animals, and with the land. Truth be told, The Bibbed Wonder, and I prefer working with our herd of goats over working with most humans. We understand why Mike came to this decision. As we drove along the road that borders their farm, we saw a lovely herd of beef cattle, a waddle of heritage large black hogs, and some of the biggest turkeys I have ever seen. I informed The Bibbed Wonder that I believe I need a pet turkey or two to add to my poultry family. Of course, he said no. Sigh. He always says no. He reminded me I could not mix turkeys with chickens because of blackhead disease. Sigh, he has a valid point this time. However, it did not curb my desire for a massive pet turkey of my very own. Someday...

Anyhow, I digress. Jill met us in the garage when we pulled into Little's driveway. She had two large tables lined up with fresh turkeys. Everything was clean, tidy, and neatly labeled with the purchaser's name, weight, and cost. It was all very efficient and professional. Do you know how sometimes you meet someone and just click? That is how I feel about Jill. It doesn't matter that I only see her once or twice a year; when we see each other, it is like meeting an old friend. Jill always makes us laugh, has the most entertaining stories about her family, farm, and job, and she has the most infectious laugh. After spending just a short time with her, I always tell Eric I think I would enjoy spending time with Jill.

This year, we ordered a smaller turkey. We asked for a fifteen-pound turkey, and the Littles could accommodate us. Just like cooking a fresh, free-range, small farm-raised chicken, there is simply no comparison to what one purchases frozen from the grocery store. Our turkeys from the Littles are always juicy, tender, and flavorful. I cannot recommend their farm strongly enough. You are missing out if you have never experienced poultry raised on a small farm, as all poultry should be raised. Seeing the turkeys roaming in the open field, foraging on bugs, grass, pumpkins, and whatever else they could find was lovely. I never realized just how majestic and impressive a turkey is.

Yes, a fresh, farm-raised turkey is a bit more expensive, but it is worth it, and the cost difference was not excessive. I can cook my Thanksgiving turkey knowing it lived a good life, was well cared for, and experienced the life it was meant to live. To me, that is invaluable. I know how and what it was fed and treated and that the end of its little life was humane and quick. Those are all things that are important to me. Not to mention, the quality and flavor is impeccable.

Although it is too late to order a Thanksgiving turkey from Chaganra this year, I gently encourage you to keep them in mind for next year. If you are not local to Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, a quick web search should give you fresh, free-range, small-farm options wherever you live. Trust me, it is worth it. You will have an opportunity to meet your farmers, who are usually wonderful people, see where and how your holiday meal was raised, and support a small family farm. Those are all great reasons to search for a farm-fresh turkey.

Chaganra Farms Website

On this Wednesday before Turkey Day, stay safe, be smart, and enjoy your holiday; know when we say grace at our dinner table, we will count you as one of our blessings, and keep washing your hands.

Tuesday Spotlight: Peppermint Soap and Moisturizer

This Tuesday, our spotlight is shining upon the classic scent of peppermint. Peppermint is a refreshing scent with many aroma therapy benefits and benefits for your skin. Peppermint oil is believed to help one focus, ease anxiety, and boost energy. The smell of peppermint is clean, clear, and fresh. Many also enjoy the cooling tingle that peppermint oil creates on one's skin. The benefits of peppermint oil for the skin include being mildly astringent, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and soothing. Peppermint oil has been used for centuries to aid in itchy skin, troublesome skin, and skin prone to breakouts. It is also believed to help fight odor.

I especially enjoy using peppermint soap and moisturizer during home pedicures. I soak my feet in a basin of warm water, adding a few drops of peppermint oil and a cup of fresh milk. I soak my feet for twenty minutes, then use a pumice to remove dead skin. I follow with a massage of peppermint moisturizer and end with cozy, soft socks to keep the moisturizer in place. It's a little routine of self-care I indulge in once a month or so.

Peppermint soap and moisturizer would make a wonderful gift for anyone who spends a lot of time on their feet. Create a simple gift with our peppermint soap and moisturizer, a fun pair of cute, fuzzy socks, maybe a coordinating nail polish or two, and a book or magazine the recipient would enjoy. Present it in a vintage enamel basin filled with shredded paper or Excelsior with a heartfelt card, and you have a lovely, affordable gift that makes an impressive presentation.

This week, peppermint soap and moisturizer are 25% off exclusively on the website. No promo code is needed to save; the savings will be applied at checkout. Click the convenient link below to shop for peppermint soap, moisturizer, and all our products. On this seasonal November Tuesday, stay safe, be smart, enjoy the savings, create heartfelt gifts, and keep washing your hands.

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