Steinway Street

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Hobnails

How about another recipe from the apron? (If you have no idea what I'm talking about, check out this post.)

How about Uncle T's Hobnails?

So here are the ingredients... I bet you have most of them in your pantry right now!

So I added it all to the mixing bowl...

And voilà- dough!

I used a small dough baller , which I then flattened a bit on the greased cookie sheet.

And about 8 minutes later, I had a pan full of yummy cookies!

While I waited for them to cool, I took some pictures of my newest set of luncheon plates. SFS and I were in a second hand store over the weekend, and I snagged this set for a steal... aren't they weird/cool?

And don't the sets look perfect when they're full of cookies and tea?

And let me tell you- these cookies are delish!

Chewy... full of spice with the sweet tang of raisins...

They are absolutely divine!

Thank you Uncle T for sharing the recipe on my apron- I really appreciate it!

(Now, Uncle T... I remember your hobnails being a lot thicker- is my memory playing tricks on me? I tried halving the recipe, and I might have goofed on the math... oops! But they still tasted wonderful!)

Hobnails
4 cups light brown sugar
2 cups shortening
4 eggs, beaten
6 cups sifted flour
2 tsp. soda
2 tsp. salt
4 tsp. cinnamon
4 tsp. vanilla
2 cups raisins
Cream sugar and shortening- add eggs and vanilla, beat in dry ingredients. Form into small balls and flatten on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Thanks for stopping by- I hope you have a great day!

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Window Wednesday

On my way to church last night, I thought I'd take some more pictures of the fancy windows on Madison Avenue.

Notice any changes from 2 months ago?

This time around, Dolce and Gabbana was all decked out for the New Year.

(I still love that chandelier!)

I don't think I've shown you Pratesi before. They're a fine linen company in Italy- and that comfy bed in the corner window looks pretty inviting!

Meanwhile, next door at Prada the fuzzy wigs were still in use...

But the second window now boasts these sweet shoes and clutches.

And across the street at Tom Ford, the frames are no longer full of crows...

Rather, they each hold an interesting assortment of accessories.

And the accessories spin in front of a Chorus Line-type mirror...

It's pretty groovy!

But after all that fun, it was time to get to church.

And don't worry about those pesky greens- they'll be toast after tonight's Epiphany Hibachi!

I hope you have a wonderful Wednesday- thanks for stopping by!

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

An adorable apron

Among all the really wonderful gifts I was given over the holidays, one of my favorites was a really special apron. My mom and dad enlisted our extended family in creating a special keepsake for my brother and I. Here's a shot of us modeling our aprons Christmas morning.

If you can't tell, our aprons are covered in recipes. More specifically, they're some of our favorite family recipes, written by the people who brought them into our lives.

I was so touched when I saw it- not only do these recipes create delicious food, but eating those foods remind me of fun times with my family.

And as if that wasn't enough, what really set me off were the handwritten recipes. I haven't seen some of that penmanship in years, since some family members are no longer with us. As you can imagine, by the time I'd read through the whole apron I was a crying, sniveling mess.

Isn't that the most amazing gift? So I thought over the next few weeks and I plan on sharing some of these yummy "apron recipes"... what do you think?

I'd like to begin with my Grandma M.'s Dill Dip.
It's a pretty straightforward recipe, and I bet you have most of these ingredients in your cabinet/fridge.
And, it only dirties a couple dishes (which is a real plus in my dishwasher-less apartment)!
First, just add the ingredients into a bowl.
(I used fresh chives above because I needed to prune my little chive plant, but the recipe actually calls for the dried stuff.)
After a couple seconds of stirring, you're left with a bowl full delectable dip. To allow the flavors to meld a bit, I would suggest leaving it in the fridge for a couple hours... if you can abstain from eating it that long!
Now, most people would probably pair this dip with a tray of fresh veggies.
Which is obviously an excellent choice.
Right?
And while veggies are good, I much prefer the partnering of dill dip with pretzels!
I know what you're thinking... but don't knock it until you try it... really!
So there you have it- my Grandma M.'s Dill Dip recipe. Thanks for the recipe, Grams... and thanks for always have a bowl of dip and pretzels on the table every time I come to your house!
There you have it- the first recipe from my apron. And thanks again to my awesome parents for a wonderful, touching gift! I hope you have a great Tuesday- thanks for stopping by!

Dill Dip
2 cups sour cream
2 cups mayo
4 Tbsp. dried parsley
4 Tbsp. dried chives
4 tsp. dill weed
2 tsp. seasoned salt
2 tsp. worcestershire sauce
and some tabasco sauce (if you can handle it)
Mix together and enjoy with veggies- or pretzels!

Monday, January 4, 2010

Having a ball while waiting for the ball to drop!

As 2009 drew to a close, SFS and I spent the last few hours of the year having a blast. After lingering over some delectable tapas at Sol y Sambra, we grabbed a little dessert. Have you ever been here?

Cafe Lalo is a really great spot... and I'm told it was featured in You've Got Mail (but since I've never seen the movie, I can't give you much more than that). They decided to go all out for the holiday, and I loved it... check out all those gold balloons!