Flexible Spending Accounts

                        Health Care Flexible Spending (FSA)


HotFlashFinds:  Use or Lose.  Just a reminder to all of you that have FSA accounts from work.  Please remember to fill your prescriptions and other qualifying items before December 31,2011. 

Lose Yourself In Nature

"Each moment of the year has its own beauty... A picture which has never before and shall never be seen again."   Ralph Waldo Emerson


Yesterday, I was in my kitchen at around 8:30 am starting to make some chili for dinner.  I was delightfully interuppted and distracted by the Cedar Waxwing convention going on outside of the kitchen window.  I soon became fascinated by the number of birds that kept flying in and out of the water and sitting on the stones.  A Robin and Flicker also joined in. 

HotFlashFinds:  Lose yourself in nature and find peace.

                                     Post Holiday Sales

                         HotFlashFinds: All Holiday Ware 50% off at Target

I just love finding a good bargain.  Target is one of my favorite stores to shop at.  It's fun for me to go post Chanukah and Christmas and stock up on some fun wrappings, bags, bows, ornaments and fun holiday chatchkes.  Especially when they are 50% off.  In past years, Target continues to mark down as the week progresses. 

HotFlashFinds: Starting 12/30/11:  All Holiday Ware 70% off at Target. 

                                       Happy Hanukkah

I love potato latkes !   The HotFlashFinds for today is a Potato Pancake recipe for one of my favorite tasting Potato Pancakes.
I'm getting ready to make batches of latkes to serve about 19 for our annual latke party.

                                                 Potato Pancakes -makes about 28 2-3" pancakes

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds russet (baking) potatoes, peeled and placed in a bowl of cold water
• 1/3 cup grated onion (optional)
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. salt, plus additional to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Canola or peanut oil, as needed for frying

Method:

Line a large  baking sheet with paper towels.  If serving immediately, preheat the oven to 200 degrees.  Have a large bowl of cold water ready.  Using a hand grater or a food processor, grate the potatoes.  As the potatoes are grated, transfer to a bowl of water.  When all are grated ,set aside for 5 minutes.  Drain the shredded potatoes in a large colander, rinsing with cold water.  Transfer to a clean bowl.  Add the onion, the eggs and flour.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Using a large spoon combine the mixture.

In a large frying or sauce pan, add enough oil to reach 1/4 to 1/3 " deep.  Heat until a shred of potato dropped in the oil sizzles immediately.

Use 2 tablespoons from a regular silverware set, form the pancakes.  Scoop up a generous spoonful of the potato mixture with  1 spoon. Flatten the mixture with the the other spoon.  Repeat until the pan is full.  Cook the pancakes until browned to your liking on the first side.  Turn the pancakes over and cook until done.  Transfer the finished pancakes to the lined baking sheet.  Repeat with the remaining mixture.

If serving the pancakes immediately, transfer the sheet to the preheated oven to keep warm.  (If serving the pancakes later, set the pancakes aside to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate or freeze until ready to serve.  Reheat the pancakes in a 350 degree oven.) 

When doubling or tripling the recipe add the flour slowly; the full amount may not be needed.

Serve with applesauce and enjoy.  Please let me know if you'd like a home made apple sauce recipe.

recipe from  Washington Post 12/12/00 Food Section.

                                                   Merry Christmas To All

One of my favorite things to do with my family at the start of the holiday season is to make JoAnn's bonbons.  Or , as I call them BonBombs!  They are DELICIOUS!!!  I make up the batter and then my husband and 2 daughters help me and we try and produce about 18 dozen delights per holiday season.

   

***HotFlashFinds: plates are from Target: Missoni for Target ***

***HotFlashFinds: Bonbon Recipe***

Recipe for Bonbons:

Ingredients: Duncan Hines Devils Food cake mix, 1 can sweetened condensed

milk, Wilton chocolate wafers .

Method:  Bake mix according to directions on the back of the box.  Cool and crumble into a bowl.

Pour 1 can of Sweetened Condensed Milk over the crumbled cake mixture.  Chill for a few hours.

Roll mixture into balls.

Melt chocolate ( I melt this in a microwave).

Dip the balls into the chocolate and place on a sheet of parchment paper to harden.

Freezes well.

Note: I use 3 different types of chocolate as you can see from the picture above.  You can use other kinds of cake to make delicious combinations.

These bonbons are winners at cookie exchanges and other events and I hope appreciated by neighbors and friends as holiday presents. 

Please let me know if you like this recipe.

Bon Apetit!



New York City in December is Exhilirating

Gaga Workshop at Barney's

 

TKTS..HotFlashFinds

Eventi Hotel..HotFlashFinds

Payal Luthra Scarves..HotFlashFinds


     

 

New York City in December is exhilarating despite the freezing cold. My husband and I spent 24 hours in New York City to celebrate our 29th anniversary and the holiday season.

Highlights of our visit included: seeing the broadway show Memphis, an incredibly delicious dinner at ABC Kitchen, viewing the windows at Saks 5th Avenue, Bergdorf Goodmans, Macys, and Barneys, and seeing the tree at the Rock.

We went to Barneys to see the Gaga workshop and to Henri Bendels. At Henri Bendels we found some beautiful cashmere scarves by Payal Luthra. She was a local artist holding a trunk show at HB’s.

HotFlashFinds ..

1. King room at Kimpton’s the Eventi..$181.00 plus tax **** hotel.

2. Memphis ..$75 through TKTS with an assist from oldest daughter.

3. Breakfast at Speedy Deli ..1271 Broadway.

4. Lunch at Grand Central Terminal..Two Boots Pizza and Magnolia Cup Cakes.

5. Payal Luthra’s Pop Up Stores at 47th and Lexington. http://payalluthra.com/