Many of us are going to be doing a lot of baking in the next several weeks, and it's understandable that we would want to save money where and when we can on ingredients. Baking is NOT cheap! There are places we can pinch the budget and cut corners and still have baking success, but I've also discovered that there are some places when it pays to pay. Flour is one ingredient I never pinch pennies on.

I have had too many great recipes go down due to cheap flour. And along with the cheap flour went many dollars worth of other ingredients. I've had cookies flatten, cakes fail, pie crust harden and bread refuse to rise properly all in the name of saving a buck and fifty cents. Buying quality flour is a lesson I learned a long time ago. The good news is that quality name brand flour usually does go on sale at regular intervals. You won't get 5 lbs for 79 cents, but you will get a good deal, and considering what it will save you in butter, eggs, nuts, etc by giving you good results, it pays for itself instantly.

For recipes in which vanilla is a main flavor, certain cookies, or whipped cream, I only use top brand vanilla. If vanilla is only a backround flavor, store brand suffices. Spices are another area in which the use can determine the quality.If I am making gingerbread houses, which, most likely wont get eaten, I will use double or triple the recipe amounts of dollar store spices. These make a nice aromatic house. For cinnamon buns, I use only top notch cinnamon.

I have not noticed a difference in my recipes based on which brand of granulated or powdered sugar I use. They seem to work out well no matter what. I do not use shortening in my baking, and 90% of the time opt for butter. For short bread, butter cookies etc I use only name brand butter which has a very fresh clear flavor. If the butter is going to be in highly seasoned cookies, store brand butter is used. In the few cases where I use margarine, I use only brands I have tested and trust. BEWARE! many of the new diet/health spreads cannot be substituted in baking recipes for margarine or butter.

 I have found good fresh nuts in off and discount brands, but I always taste test them before using. Candied fruits, I have found are best purchased in name brands or taste tested first. They can be too dry, or stale flavored. For chocolate coating, I have had good luck with Borden or a large chain store brand, but mixed results with discount or off brands. To get a better flavor when using chocolate coating I usually use half coating, half melted chocolate chips. Same with white coating and white chips.

I have had no problems with off brand evaporated or sweetened condensed milk. Store brand chips are fine unless I am making truffles, then I buy the best quality chocolate I can afford.

Which items do you splurge on, and which have you found you can pinch pennies on when it comes to holiday baking?

A Napolean is a dessert consisting of a stack of flaky pastry layers alternating with pastry cream or whipped cream. They  are often iced on top, but can also be simply blanketed in whipped cream. Berries, chocolate or liquor can be added for variety. They look impressive, are super tasty, if a bit messy...to eat. And you can make them at home in under an hour.

Here is how. This recipe makes 3, 12 inch Napoleans. Each Napolean serves 5 conservatively, 4 nicely and 3 very generously. The * represent a variation of the basic recipe

Buy:
 1 Box of frozen puff pastry. I buy Pepperedge Farm. This brand gives you two sheets, tri folded, this will make 3 12 inch Napoleans.

One 3.4 oz box instant vanilla pudding

a pint of half and half

one can of light whipped cream OR 1 pint whipping  cream

Depending on the flavor of the Napolean you desire, berries, fruit pie filling, apricot jam, a large plain chocolate bar, nuts, etc
++++++++++++++++++
The pastry needs to thaw out of the box (just before using) for about 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 375

To make the Napoleans, unfold the thawed pastry, cut on fold lines with a sharp knife. Lay the strips on a baking sheet and bake at 375 for about 20 minutes, until the tops are somewhere between barely browned and deeply sun-tanned. Remove from oven and cool.

To make the pastry filling. Use one 3.4 oz box of INSTANT vanilla pudding. Place in bowl, add 1 1/2 cups of  half and half. I prefer half and half because it gives a super rich cream, but you can get by with milk. Add 1/2 tsp vanilla extract.

*Alternately, if you choose to use liquor in your Napolean, use 1 and 1/3 cup  half and half, and after mixing well (I use my hand blender for a fast smooth product) beat in 3 Tbls of the liquor of your choice. Set aside.

*If you'd like a fluffier filling...Make the pudding with only 1 1/4 cup of milk/half and half, and after it sets up (5 min) stir it smooth and fold in 3/4 cup cream, whipped

*If you are using whipping cream rather than canned, beat until fluffy with 2/3 cup sugar and 1 1/2 tsp vanilla. You can use other flavoring extract to taste if desired.

*For chocolate whipped cream, add 1/3 cup powdered cocoa  before beating and increase vanilla to 2 tsp

Just before serving (it literally takes 5 minutes to put together) On serving tray, place one of your puffed pastry strips, spread with a layer of cream filling. (if using jam for flavoring, spread with jam first, then cream...for any other flavoring, cream first) Then put berries, shaved chocolate bar, nuts, or whatever over cream. Top with second layer, add a thin layer of cream, Cover generously with whipped cream and garnish  appropriately to match the flavor of the filling.

* you can make the Napolean ahead, but it really should be no more than a few hours ahead as refrigeration toughens the pastry layers. Making it right before you serve dinner, and letting it sit on the counter for an hour or so is fine and makes it slightly less messy to serve as the layers "gel" a bit.

Thats it. Bring it to the table to oohs and ahhs, cut into portions with a serrated knife, enjoy.



 

We are now in our second generation of popcorn illiterates!

Most people under the age of 30 have NEVER tasted popcorn made the old fashioned way. And if you ask them just what the old fashioned way IS...they may have a vague recollection of a hot air popper, but mostly you will get blank stares or something they learned in 4th grade social studies class about Native Americans popping corn around a fire. The years in between are lost, the years of shaking a pot over a stove burner are forgotten...MAYBE they've had exposure to Jiffy Pop, or heard tell of it, but few have tasted or made popcorn, the old fashioned way themselves.

Movie popcorn, and microwave popcorn have their own charm, and can taste great. Hot air popped corn, while being pretty tough and relatively flavorless comes a wee bit closer to the actual "old fashioned" kind, but to get the real deal, you need to start from scratch, with a few basic tools found in the ordinary kitchen. A pot with a handle and cover, some cooking oil, a big bowl, a stick of REAL butter, sorry no substitutes, salt (again, no substitutes, not for this round, you can pull out the Mrs Dash at a later date) and popcorn. You can find it at most grocery stores, but you may have to ask. In my local grocery store, it is NOT found with the 109 varieties of microwave pop corn, it's on another aisle with the dried fruit and nuts.

Here's how to do it:

Put about a tablespoon of cooking oil into the bottom of your pot, less if you are using a small pot.
Pour popcorn kernels into the pot until you have a layer one kernel deep covering the bottom.
Put on the lid.
Place pot over medium heat on the stove.
Shake the pot back and forth, it makes a nice satisfying sound, alternatively you can rock the pot back and forth a la "ship on a stormy sea" style, you should hear the kernels moving.
In a few minutes the kernels will begin to pop. This will give off a tantalizing smell and you may feel goosebumps rising all over you.
Tilt the lid slightly to allow steam to escape.
Breathe in deeply.
Keep shaking, rocking, until the popping slows down.
Remove from heat.
Take off lid, you may hear a few random pops
Dump hot popcorn into the bowl.
Cut off a generous chunk of butter and put it into the hot pot.
Melt butter and pour it all over the popcorn.
Shake on salt, to taste.
Stir arouind the popcorn to distribute salt and butter.
Grab something tall to drink, and ENJOY your fresh hot popcorn.

I mean it, really, it is worth the "work" (it takes about 10 minutes). If you have never had homemade popcorn...you may well be converted for life. If you have had it before...you will be reminded just how good it is.

And you can dress it up as much or little as you like, though for this first round, please stick to the tried and true formula above. But yes, it's amazing with brown sugar, chili powder, cinnamon or Italian spice sprinkled over it. You can buy cheese powder and make your own cheese popcorn, or sprinkle grated parmesan over it...let your imagination run wild.

And please share this wonder with someone, a friend, a young person who has never tasted popcorn that didn't come from a microwave bag or wasn't doused in that yellow stuff at the movie theater. Don't let the culinary experience that is old fashioned popcorn die.

Please share your popcorn memories or creative popcorn mix in's below! and long live the tender fluffy kernel.