Meringue Ghosts

I’ve been sitting on this recipe for about a two years. It came across in one of my Hungry Girl emails quite some time ago and I finally decided to make these cuties while digging through my cookbook for my taco soup recipe. Just in time for Halloween tomorrow!

Meringues are a tricky dessert to make… as evidenced by Attempt #1, which was a complete failure. See, one of my yolks broke in the bowl and I managed to remove about 98% of the yolk, but that pesky 2% killed my meringue. Having never made them before, I had a hunch that they wouldn’t turn out, but I baked them anyway. Two hours later, I admitted defeat and started over.

Attempt #1 – don’t they look like sad little ghosts?

This time, I separated the eggs in a different bowl than the one I was using to whip the ingredients together. This allowed me to crack one egg at a time before adding it to my large bowl. I didn’t end up breaking any of the yolks, but I’m glad I took the extra precaution instead of wasting another batch.

(adapted from HG’s Ghost-with-the-Most Meringues)
3 large egg whites
1/3 C granulated white sugar
1/3 granulated Splenda
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
mini Reeses pieces

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Line 2-3 large baking pans with parchment paper.

In a large glass or stainless steel bowl, combine egg whites and cream of tartar. Using an electric mixer set at high speed, beat until fluffy and slightly stiff, about 3 minutes. Continue mixing with your electric mixer, and gradually add the sugar and Splenda until completely combined. Add the vanilla and continue mixing until blended.

If your mixture doesn’t look like this…

…start over.

Using a spatula, transfer all the meringue mixture to a large plastic bag. Squeeze mixture down toward one bottom corner of the bag. Snip that corner off with scissors to create a simple piping bag.

Pipe mixture onto the parchment paper in ghost-like shapes about 3 inches long. Use the tip of your piping bag to smooth mixture and make sure the ghost shapes are filled in solidly.

Place 2 mini Reeses pieces on each ghost for eyes.

Bake in the oven for 70 minutes. Turn oven off and allow meringues to set in the oven for 1 hour.

WW Points per serving (2 meringues): 1 point

Who’s the cutest little dinosaur I ever did see??? Well, that would be my adorable nephew Calvin, who will be 2 years old in December.

 

Chocolate White Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Cookies

Eureka!!! I think I may have found my new go-to cookie. Mr. Tote and I seriously CANNOT stop eating these. I love to make cookies, but I usually one eat one or two and give the rest away to family and friends. Not these babies!! I’m kicking myself for giving half of them away before tasting one.

I found a basic white chocolate chip cookie recipe on allrecipes.com and modified it based on user comments, along with adding hazelnuts.

I was surprised that they didn’t settle into flatter cookies, like most other recipes. However, I think that’s what makes them extra yummy! The outsides are slightly hard and the insides are super moist and chewy.

I am seriously going to be making these again and again and again.

1 C butter, softened
2/3 C white sugar
2/3 C brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 C all-purpose flour
3/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 C white chocolate chips
1 C chopped hazelnuts (sometimes called Filberts at the store)
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until smooth.

Beat in the eggs, then stir in the vanilla.

Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Stir into the creamed mixture.

Fold in the white chocolate chips and chopped hazelnuts. Using a tablespoon measurement, form the dough into balls and place onto greased cookie sheets.

Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until cookies are set. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Makes about 40 cookies.

Chihuly

OK, I promise I will get back to posting more regularly. My job situation has recently changed and I suddenly find myself with ample amounts of free time. I HAVE LOTS TO SHARE WITH ALL OF YOU!

First… this past weekend, Mr. Tote, my mom and my aunt set out for Grand Rapids to take advantage of two world-renowned events/exhibits – ArtPrize and Chihuly. More on ArtPrize later.

Dale Chihuly is a world-renowned glass artist. And his work is currently being featured at Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park. We spent about three and a half hours there, exploring Chihuly’s pieces. Truly amazing. Below are some pictures I took.

 Citron Green and Red Tower

Polyvitro Chandelier

Polyvitro Chandelier

Polyvitro Chandelier

Mr. Tote took this one. He likes to call it “Fallen Lady Hurt Shoulder In Motion.” The woman who was stamping hands for guests to enter the gardens fell off her chair and complained of shoulder pain (uhh, hello!!?!? Heart attack?!!?) While the staff were attending to her, my mom and aunt quickly stepped in to stamp hands. Note my mom in the purple shirt in the doorway and my aunt in the black hoodie next to her.

Standing in the middle of the Great Lakes exhibit.

Mother and daughter (awwww!!)

Standing underneath the 24 ft tall American Horse

 Red Reeds

Sisters (awwww!!!)

 Summer Sun

Summer Sun

Summer Sun

Summer Sun

Blue Moon
 Blue Moon

Yellow Boat

Walla Walla

Walla Wallas

Walla Wallas

Niijima Floats 

Niijima Floats 

Niijima Floats

Niijima Floats  (and Mr. Tote)

Lime Crystal Tower

Saffron Tower

Saffron Tower

Cobalt and Turquoise Reeds
  Neodymium Reeds and Herons

Neodymium Reeds and Herons

Neodymium Reeds and Herons

Always the jokester, that Mr. Tote is…

White Belugas

  White Belugas

Blue Polyvitro Crystals

Blue Polyvitro Crystals

Blue Polyvitro Crystals

Blue Polyvitro Crystals

Blue Polyvitro Crystals

Blue Polyvitro Crystals   

Eelgrass and Red Bamboo

Eelgrass and Red Bamboo

Rose Crystal Tower

Tumbleweeds

There you have it. I could go back every day. These pieces are mesmerizing and breathtaking. The weather was mostly cloudy while we were there, but the few glimpses of sun that we got really made the sculptures shine.

Up next? We spent the weekend in Grand Rapids not only for the Chihuly exhibit, but also for ArtPrize. More on that soon!