"Speculoos?" What in the name of baking is that? It's what cookie butter is mostly made of, readers. You may have heard of the Western European cookies of that name that are a holiday staple in Western Europe.
A few years back, a European company decided to do what some Belgian parents did and crumble cookies into butter and make a spread of it. Cookie butter for the masses was born.
The spread is rather oily (at least the Trader Joe's version I bought is) and has a delightfully spicy taste with a slightly salty finish. I don't love it like some people do, but I do like it. It's great warmed and poured over ice cream, spread on toast, made into cookies (yes, cookies), candy bark, even muffins. You can find tons of ways to use it online. I know you can buy it online, and you may be able to find it at Walmart. Give it a try. I think kids will gobble it up.
On a completely different topic, I've just come home from taking care of my mother in South Carolina. She had a truly terrible fall and even with my dad and numerous home healthcare people coming in, she needed me and my sisters. While I was there, my Aunt Rosa made "beef a la mode." It was delicious. But she couldn't really explain how she made it. Does anyone out there have a good, simple recipe for this? It usually includes bacon, vinegar and a bay leaf, plus other ingredients. I'd love some help! If you can supply me with a recipe, please email me at tkwolford@aol.com.
Next, as you may know, I'm obsessed with eggs. They are one of my favorite foods. While at my parents, Mom reminded me that when you boil eggs, that needn't get to the "hard" stage. She had me cook some eggs in boiling water for six minutes. The yolks came out slightly soft, with perfectly cooked whites. These would be splendid with toast, cooked vegetables or grits. Want a runnier yolk? Try three or four minutes.
Finally, it may only be late August, but start planning your holiday crafts now. All the best materials, tips and ideas are already in books, magazines and online. Hit the stores now for what you need. I've already begun buying stacks of Christmas paper. If you are able to put time in, there are zillions of great printable holiday designs out there. Let the fun begin.
If you'd like to share your own home memories or tips (or recipes), send ideas to tkwolford@aol.com. Or you can write me via traditional mail at The Farmer's Exchange, P.O. Box 45, New Paris, IN 46553.