That’s what my mom says. I just thought it was because I had dark brown hair. My mom and I have a fantastic relationship. We vent our frustrations to each other, talk about husbands, talk about work problems, about our crazy family and everything in between. We are great friends, but first and foremost she is my mother. I have never lacked respect when my mom is involved and despise when anyone does. She works hard and deserves all that she has and more. She works for the County of Orange and has gone from the bottom of the food chain to the top 30% of it. My mom es lo maximo! Haha! I live about 4 hours away from her, which isn’t too much but gah… I miss that woman (and her cooking!) SOO much.
i remember having a conversation with a friend, this is kinda how it went…
ME “My mom calls me a coconut.”
FRIEND “Why?”
ME “Because my hair is brown duh!”
FRIEND “Eh, that’s weird.”
ME “Your face is weird!”
HAHA!
I then go home and ask my momma…
ME “Why do you call me coconut? Brown hair right?”
MOM “Why?”
ME “Just wonderin’”
MOM “Well you know how a coconut is hollow on the inside except for some swishing juice?
ME “Uumm… yeah.”
MOM “That you, there’s no brain up there. Just some swishing juice.”
Me “BURN!!!”
HAHAHAHA!
I told you, my mom and I have a kick ass relationship. She’s my big ugly ugly and I’m the big headed coconut. A couple terms of endearment we have for eachother. I love her with all my heart and miss her everyday.
The other day when I was shopping for some groceries at Wal-Mart and start to go through the produce area and start picking the limes for some cupcakes I’ve been itching to make. I go around to the lime bin and what do I see above it? Coconuts! I have never cracked one open or ever really thought about it, but I figured there is a first time for everything. It sat on the fridge for about 5 days and I didn’t want it to rot so I had the big, buff husband crack it open and get all the meat out so I can shred it. I was so excited about using a fresh coconut. I was shredding and watching ‘Deal or no Deal’ (my new obsession) and it happened. How could I ruin the coconut? How could I do that? What happened you ask? I was shredding the coconut and go to excited and shredded my finger. I thought it was just a scratch but I shredded a good chunk of my finger. I’t gushed for a bit, I cried then went upstairs to wake up the sleeping husband to use his Army training and save my life. It hurts like a beech. I threw out the contaminated coconut, which leaves me with not enought for the cupcakers. I need to get a package at the store now, I don’t think the husband will let me do fresh again. Yesterday, less than 24 hours after the shredding occured, my husbands ENTIRE company, as well as half of California knew about my finger. LOL
This weeks TWD ‘Snickery Squares’ was chosen by Erin of Dinner and Dessert. This recipe has NOTHING to do with coconut but my mom likes dulce de leche and peanuts so it sorta does. We were supposed to make this in a 8” pan but I thought tartlets would be too flippin’ cute until it came time to put the shortbread in the little tins. Yeah… not fun with a useless finger. The peanuts were easy too! I have never carmelized anything and it was super easy. I really want to try it with almonds… yum! This recipe is awesome from what the co-workers said. I’m on a diet so none for me. BOO!
Check out other TWD bakers
here.
Snickery Squares
For the Crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup sugar
2 TBSP powdered sugar
¼ tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled
1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten
For the Filling:
½ cup sugar
3 TBSP water
1 ½ cups salted peanuts
About 1 ½ cups store-bought dulce de leche
For the Topping:
7 ounces bittersweet, coarsely chopped
½ stick unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces, at room temperature
Getting Ready:
Preheat oven to 350F. Butter a 8 inch square pan and put it on a baking sheet.
To Make the Crust:
Toss the flour, sugar, powdered sugar and salt into a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Toss in the pieces of cold butter and pulse about 12 times, until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Pour the yolk over the ingredients and pulse until the dough forms clumps and curds-stop before the dough comes together in a ball.
Turn the dough into the buttered pan and gently press it evenly across the bottom of the pan. Prick the dough with a fork and slide the sheet into the oven.
Bake the crust for 15-20 minutes, or until it takes on just a little color around the edges. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool to room temperature before filling.
To Make the Filling:
Have a parchment or silicone mat-lined baking sheet at the ready, as well as a long-handled wooden spoon and a medium heavy bottomed saucepan.
Put the sugar and water in the saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Keeping the heat fairly high, continue to cook the sugar, without stirring, until it just starts to color. Toss the peanuts and immediately start stirring. Keep stirring, to coat the peanuts with sugar. Within a few minutes, they will be covered with sugar and turn white—keep stirring until the sugar turns back into caramel. When the peanuts are coated with a nice deep amber caramel, remove the pan from the heat and turn the nuts out onto the baking sheet., using the wooden spoon to spread them out as best you can. Cool the nuts to room temperature.
When they are cool enough to handle, separate the nuts or break them into small pieces. Divide the nuts in half. Keep half of the nuts whole or in biggish pieces for the filling, and finely chop the other half for the topping.
Spread the dulce de leche over the shortbread base and sprinkle over the whole candied nuts.
To Make the Topping:
Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Remove chocolate from the heat and gently stir in the butter, stirring until it is fully blended into the chocolate.
Pour the chocolate over the dulce de leche, smoothing it with a long metal icing spatula, then sprinkle over the rest of the peanuts. Slide the pan into the fridge to set the topping, about 20 minutes; if you’d like to serve the squares cold, keep them refrigerated for at least 3 hours before cutting.
Cut into 16 bars.
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