Christmas Cookies
You’re either a Christmas peanut butter and chocolate person or you’re not. Among the Christmas cookies, tea cakes, dulces and sweet breads I make at this time of year are these easy-to-construct …what…things that will make all your friends and family forgive some of your shortcomings - even if only for a few minutes.Chocolate Peanut Butter Squares
Combine in a large bowl of an electric mixer ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar, ¾ lb. confectioner’s sugar, 4 tbs. butter (softened) and 16 oz. creamy peanut butter. Beat at low speed to incorporate. Meantime, melt 1 lb. of good quality chocolate with a tablespoon of butter in the microwave until tempered. Set the chocolate aside to cool a little.
Into an un-greased 15” x 9” x 1 ½” sheet pan dump the peanut butter/sugar mixture. Using a rolling pin, distribute the mixture into the pan until it is flat and evenly distributed. There should be about a ½ “ or so between the top of the rolled out mixture and the lip of the pan. Pour the melted chocolate on top of the mixture and spread evenly to cover.
Refrigerate for a little while to barely set the chocolate (It must not get too hard or you will never, ever, ever be able to cut the pan full into squares). Using a sharp knife, cut into 2” squares. Place the pan back in the icebox so they can set completely before carefully levering them out with a tongue depressor or other specially made veterinarian tool.
posted by Champurrado at 8:43 AM
6 Comments:
So what good thing are you making to sooth the weary walker?
Prom:
Gawd, what a f__g nightmare. If I could only describe to people outside the area how principally necessary our public transportation system is. I was up at 5 this morning to try to get into the office at a decent hour. Starting out from Park Slope on my bike I made it to the Brooklyn Bridge entrance in about 15 minutes. The cops made me dismount and walk over the bridge which wasn't really so bad. There were lots of peds walking over. Once off the bridge I made a run towards the PATH Station on Vessey Street. After making my way through the maze of the World Trade Center Station I arrived at my gate only to be told by a really fat Port Authority Cop that bikes are not Allowed on Path until 9:30!!!! No amount of rational discourse changed this gentleman's mind. I had no alternative except to ride out to the West Side, catch the Hoboken Ferry and ride in to Jersey City from Hobokan. Where's my damn jet car? Weren't we supposed to all have those by now. Hope you fared better.
We drive in alternatively via the lincoln tunnel or the GWB depending on traffic reports. Since we couldn't find two other people to drive with us from Montclair to 98th&Madison, we came in as usual but restricted to the bridge. Then we came down local streets through Harlem. It wasn't bad until we were within 20 blocks of 96th street. The checkpoints were blocking everything else north of their start site. This morning it was actually much better. I think people figured out how to actually get in without fouling everything. Lucky for us we even know a back way onto the bridge that saved us 20 mins so things weren't as bad as they might have been.
I'm off working from home after today until Wed. With luck it will be over by then.
I don't know about you, but I have little sympathy for the strikers. Sure wish I could retire with full bennies at 55 and not have to pay into my health insurance.
Prom:
Actually I have no sympathy for either MTA or Union. MTA could have sealed the deal by maintaining a relatively inexpensive pension benefit. Union could have exercised a little restraint and postponed strike until after holidays but I guess they used the time to their advantage.
Buggers.
Hope you and your wife made it home okay tonight. It looked like hell in lower Manhattan tonight
Prom:
Hey, thanks. No stopping tough New yorkers.
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