Yam Medallions & Empty Bag Candy

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              FOOD FUNNY
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Thanks to George in Poughkeepsie for sharing this with us:

'Twas the night before Christmas and all round my hips
Were Fannie May candies that sneaked past my lips.
Fudge brownies were stored in the freezer with care,
In hopes that my thighs would forget they were there.

While Mama in her girdle and I in chin straps
Had just settled down to sugar-borne naps.
When out in the pantry there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the kitchen I flew like a flash,
Tore open the icebox then threw up the sash.
The marshmallow look of the new-fallen snow
Sent thoughts of a binge to my body below.

When what to my wandering eyes should appear:
A marzipan Santa with eight chocolate reindeer!
That huge chunk of candy so luscious and slick
I knew in a second that I'd wind up sick.

The sweet-coated Santa, those sugared reindeer,
I closed my eyes tightly but still I could hear;
On Pritzker, on Stillman, on weak one, on TOPS
A Weight Watcher dropout from sugar detox.

 From the top of the scales to the top of the hall
Now dash away pounds; now dash away all.
Dressed up in Lane Bryant from my head to nightdress
My clothes were all bulging from too much excess.

My droll little mouth and my round little belly
They shook when I laughed like a bowl full of jelly.
I spoke not a word but went straight to my work
Ate all of the candy then turned with a jerk.

And laying a finger beside my heartburn
Gave a quick nod toward the bedroom I turned.
I eased into bed, to the heavens I cry
If temptation's removed I'll get thin by and by.

And I mumbled again as I turned for the night
"In the morning I'll starve...
'til I take that first bite!"

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              TODAY'S RECIPES
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I know I'm in the minority when I say this, but I'm not a fan of the
sweet potato dish that is swimming in brown sugar and topped
with marshmallows - my American readers know what I'm talking
about - so I am particularly fond of this dish as an alternative on
holidays that demand sweet potatoes in one form or another.
Reader Shannon contributed this to the Pen-Pal Forum on May
19, 1999, and here is what she said about it:

Here is a recipe that I have made several times. It's great as an
appetizer or with a meal - even people who don't like yams like it.

Yam Medallions
4 servings

4 medium yams or sweet potatoes, unpeeled
scrubbed and sliced into 1/4 inch medallions
2 egg whites
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 cup unseasoned dry bread crumbs
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. dried basil
3/4 tsp. dried rosemary

Combine egg whites and garlic in bowl. Add yams and toss to
coat. In another bowl, mix together bread crumbs, cheese, basil
and rosemary. Transfer crumbs to dinner plate and spread evenly.
Coat yams on both sides with crumb mixture. Place in a single
layer on a cookie sheet sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake for
15 minutes at 425. Flip over and bake for another 15 minutes.

Per serving: 218 calories, 3.4 g fat, 39g carbohydrate, 8.8g protein,
6mg cholesterol 13.9% calories from fat.

My mother has been giving this delicious candy to friends and
family since it appeared in the Pen-Pal Forum on November 19,
2002. It was contributed by my SnowyRecitopian friend Tracey
Leverdingen, and it has become so popular around here that my
mother had to make four batches of it this year. Here's how
Tracey introduced it:

Tracey here in SnowyRecitopia, busy baking for all the craft/bake
sales at the kids' schools! Cakes, loaves, muffins, squares... I'm
there! Funny thing, though, I never seem to get to keep any of this
stuff! (Note to self: bake something that stays in the house!) I
started making this recipe last year, in November. One of my fellow
Snowys, Eve, had made it as her 'goodie' on one of our baking days.
I've since altered it and changed it, so Eve doesn't mind that I've
re-named it. It's great for adding to gift baskets, or just to put
out for guests.

Tracey's Empty Bag Candy

1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
5 Tablespoons corn syrup
2 1/2 cups nuts, toasted and chopped
(I use a combination of pecans and almonds,
but any favourites work!)
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Line an 11" x 15" cookie sheet with foil, covering the bottom and
sides of the pan, and smoothing it out as much as possible. Make
sure there are no holes or tears in the foil. Grease it lightly with
butter, or baking spray. (I use butter, all the way!)

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in
the sugar and corn syrup. Return the pan to the stove and cook over
medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches 300F
degrees (150C degrees) on a candy thermometer. (I bought one at
Wal-Mart for $3 - Canadian dollarettes even!) Stir in half of the
chopped nuts, and immediately pour the mixture into the foil-lined
baking pan, spreading it with a spatula to evenly cover the bottom.

As soon as the toffee mixture is spread, sprinkle the chocolate chips
evenly over the surface. Let it sit for about 5 minutes to allow the
warm toffee to melt the chocolate chips, then gently (don't disturb
the toffee!) spread the melted chocolate over the surface of the
candy. Sprinkle the remaining chopped nuts evenly over the top.
Cover with a layer of waxed paper and lightly press the nuts into the
chocolate so that they stick. Remove the waxed paper and refrigerate
until hardened. (Give it a good half hour, 45 minutes anyway.)

Lift the slab of toffee out of the pan and carefully peel the foil off
the back. With clean, dry hands, break the candy into chunky pieces
and pack them into airtight bags, or containers. Can be kept at room
temperature. I call it "Empty Bag Candy" because you try one piece,
and the next thing you know, the bag is empty!
Received on Fri Dec 22 08:04:21 2006