As I mentioned in an earlier post, I am not much of a baker. I will be the first to raise my glass (no spiked egg nog for me - hot cocoa with some kahlua please) to anyone that engages in a baking marathon of Christmas cookie after Christmas cookie. Especially when I am the lucky recipient of such tasty, hard work!  It's no wonder I am drawn to no-bake, home-baked gifts.

White Christmas was first introduced to me by my mother-in-law. An addictive combo of sweet and salty, it has become our standby home "baked" gift for family and friends during the holidays. At first glance, it may not seem like much. But once you try it, you are hooked. Seriously. Alton Brown has a version (which he calls White Trash) in which he warns his readers to "Dole this stuff out carefully. It is highly habit forming."

So as my Christmas gift to anyone reading this, here is our recipe for White Christmas. Enjoy!




White Christmas


INGREDIENTS:
4 cups Cheerios
4 cups Golden Grahams
2 cups peanuts
2 8 oz. bags white chocolate chips


DIRECTIONS:
1. Mix Cheerios, Golden Grahams and peanuts in a large bowl.
2. Melt white chocolate and pour over ingredients. Fold until mixture is well-coated.
3. Spread mixture on parchment paper and cool.
5. Break into pieces and place in air-tight container.

Meals on our family vacation this summer have featured quintessential New England fare: fresh seafood and farm stand veggies and fruit. Meals have been no-fuss, no-muss - just the way I like it when I'm on vacation. Sure I have more time to meal plan and cook without the daily distractions of home. But that just cuts into time at the beach and naps!

So here's a simple side dish that will make you feel as if you're on a tropical vacation thanks to Alton Brown. Make yourself a fruity drink with an umbrella and you're at your beach-side cabana.


Tropical Mash
Adapted from Alton Brown, "I'm Just Here for the Food."

INGREDIENTS:
4 small sweet potatoes, perforated in several places with a fork or knife
1 large banana, perforated
1 cup light coconut milk
2 tablespoons butter
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook potatoes until soft (Alton calls for grilling them over indirect heat for an hour. I was short on time so cooked in the microwave and finished in the oven).
2. Grill the banana over direct heat until the peel is black and the inside is very soft. Let the potatoes and banana cool.
3. In a small saucepan, heat coconut milk and butter. Peel the skin from the potatoes and the banana and put them in a mixing blow. Pour in some of the coconut milk and mash the potato and banana, adding liquid as needed. Season with salt and pepper. 

The Good: Easy to prepare with few ingredients. The boys loved this and asked for more.

The Bad: The mash did not come out as smooth as I would have liked. Will try grilling the potatoes or roasting in oven longer.

Grade: B+. A sweet (but heavy) side dish perfect for the summer.