another way to cook polenta

It has been a long week here.  A lot of coughing and feeling like uck going on with everyone.  Then I finished skating today with my ankle hurting.  It just hurts sometimes after I cracked it about a year and half back.  But then I would never overdo, really (cough, cough, cough).

I love the slow cooker method for making polenta.  But there are times where I do not plan well enough, the slow cooker is being used, or I just need more then it can hold.  Or there feels like there is an elephant sitting on my chest who is green with purple spots or purple with green spots (depending on the day - and his name is Sylvester) and I just want something comforting.  I find this method works wonders.

Mix up the polenta with the liquid of your choice in an ovenproof pan that can also be used on the stove.  For every one measure of polenta, you want four measures of liquid.  Add a bit of salt and butter.  Bring it to a boil.  Cover and put it in a 350 degree oven for at least 1 hour.  You can even leave it in longer.  If you want to leave it in for a couple of hours, turn the heat down to 250 degrees Fahrentheit.

Then use the rest of the space for other bits of dinner and you have polenta.  At 350 degrees, I can bake a couple loaves of bread, roast some meat, maybe even roast some vegetables, and bake a crisp.  Yes, this is really my life and it is pretty wonderful....

MacKenzie - with fangs but no claws....

Since I got such a look when Malcom did not have fangs and claws, I made one of my strange creatures with fangs.

And hair.  Because Small Mister goes for my skirts, aprons, and any piece of cloth I will let him get to.  MacKenzie's hair is the funniest part according to the Small Mister.

The fangs and smiling red eyes are pretty cool too!

It is not the most frightening strange creature I have ever made, but MacKenzie is a strange creature.

Malcom

We went off camping for the last bit.  It was nice to be out of town but you can really tell that parts of Texas are still in drought.  No rowing or fishing went on because the water was so low.  And as my Beloved said, not sure we would want to eat the fish out of their anyhow!

For Easter, I made Small Mister a rabbit similar in size to Rose.  He really likes Rose because all her appendages are very chewable and grabable.  I thought he needed a friend to be able to accompany him on all his adventures.

I made him out of a very raggedy cashmere sweater I use for skating or when I am working around the house.  It smells like me.

The ears are a bit of quilting fabric that I have not used yet.

Small Mister likes Malcom a lot but is asking "Where are those fangs and claws I heard about?!?!"

But Malcom is liked any way.

Miss Isabella's quilt

I finished another batch of nine squares this weekend.  

Which means that I took the time to lay them out so I can stitch them together.  Usually I do this when there is no one around but today was different.

I had help from my Beloved and the Smallest Short Person.  They had a lot of input and liked the way the quilt came together.  A lot!  They also played and talked and told me stories.

They helped me pick it up and put it back into a pile.  Off to the sewing machine I go again....

gluten free caramelitas

I was thinking about trying a carrot cake tonight but the Tall Short Person wanted us to try caramelitas.  She and her friend Miss A had made them.  The Tall Short Person said she could eat the whole pan.  My Dad had sent homemade caramels for Valentine's Day so I figured why not.  I can make carrot cake another day.

Gluten Free Caramelitas

32 unwrapped caramels

1/2 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup butter, melted

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup millet flour

1/2 cup sorghum flour

1/2 cup arrowroot flour

1/2 cup almond flour

1 cup gluten free quick oats

4 to 6 ounces chocolate chips.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Butter a 8 inch by 8 inch pan.  It should be at least two inches deep.

In a heavy saucepan, put the caramels and cream.  Over a low heat, stir until the caramels are melted into the cream.

Mix the melted butter, brown sugar, flours, and oats together.  You will have a crumble mixture.  Press half of the mixture into the bottom of your baking dish.  Bake for ten minutes.  The edges should be lightly brown.

Pull out of the oven.  Spread the chocolate chips over it.

Pour the caramel over the chocolate chips.

Sprinkle the rest of the crumble mixture over the caramel.  Bake for another 15 to 25 minutes.  You want the caramelitas to be golden.

The one piece of advice that I can give you is wait until the caramel is cool enough not to burn your mouth before you eat this!  

It is incredibly decadent and sweet and a small bit goes a long way.  As it cooled it held together more like a bar but we never let it get to room temperature so I do not know well the gluten free version will hold together as a bar.  I know it serves very well in a bowl and a spoon, eaten like apple crisp.

We will see what happens tomorrow.  Maybe I will get my cake.  Though I really will not need it until next week when the caramelitas are all gone.  That is if there are any left when I get home from work!