Wednesday, June 1, 2011

And Then There Were None... A Kitchen Mystery

Did you ever read that Agatha Christie novel And Then There Were None? I think I first read it when I was around 12, and I thought it was TERRIFYING.

It was a great mystery because you really couldn't figure out what happened until the very end. Not like some cheesy mysteries - Dame Agatha knew what she was doing.

So did whoever stole my spaghetti claw.

That's right. My spaghetti claw. The same one I've owned since I moved to Austin in 1990, the white one I got the day I got my first apartment. The one with one broken tooth. Someone took it.

A spaghetti claw isn't the kind of thing a person takes out to Starbucks or to dinner with them. So it didn't get left at a restaurant or in a grocery store. It was claw napped. And I'm sad. A person can't just have a 21 year relationship with a utensil and simply move on when it is unceremoniously ended.

Give me a moment.

Oh. Speaking of food. I made the best cookies I've EVER HAD today. Here is the recipe:

Brown Butter Fleur de Sel Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 sticks (1 cup) butter (I used salted butter)
1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla (I use the Madagascar Bourbon kind)
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Fleur de Sel or sea salt plus more for sprinkling
10 oz. chocolate chips (semi-sweet)


1.  Preheat oven to 375 and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper
2.  Place butter into a medium saucepan over medium heat, swirling pan to melt.  Once melted, watch carefully.  Butter will foam, boil then little brown bits will start to form around sides and bottom of pan.  Once butter turns a golden brown and has a very nutty aroma, remove from heat.  Let cool for 5 minutes. I stirred it until it stopped bubbling to cool it off - if you add it when it's too hot, it will melt your chocolate chips, so be patient.
3.  Place both sugars your Kitchen Aid mixer.  Add brown butter and mix until well combined.  Add eggs and vanilla, mixing until well combined.  Place flour, baking soda and Fleur de Sel/sea salt into a large bowl.  Slowly add to wet ingredients then add in chocolate chips, mixing until just combined.  Scoop dough onto prepared baking sheet with a medium sized cookie scoop or a generous teaspoon and sprinkle tops with additional Fleur de Sel/sea salt.  Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until cooked through. My oven was exactly 11 minutes. They don't really get brown, so just trust the timing. Let cool for 5 minutes then transfer to cooling rack.

The more salt the better on top. I was a little stingy with mine and they could have used more. Also, if you're like me, and like burned cookies, these are AWESOME a little toasty. I got the original recipe here


So in honor of my kidnapped spaghetti claw and my amazing cookies, I thought I would bring you some food themed cards.



First, donut be sad that this adorable set Comfort Food is retired! :)
Just remember, the new retired list comes out today, and that means you have a month to get your paws on your faves before they go away forever! I buy stamp sets because I like them, and I tend to keep them forever. This is one of those sets. Too cute for words.I'll never let it go. I'm gonna milk it.

Maybe you should pop on by and stamp with me! :)


Because I loaf you :)

Unless, of course, you're the one who took my spaghetti claw...

If that's the case, all bets are off...

Happy Wednesday!!


10 comments:

  1. those are all so cute! i'm not usually one for puns, but as my kids get older and start 'playing' with language, puns are fun again i guess.

    i loaf these

    ReplyDelete
  2. Milk it? Donut be sad? Those have to be my favourites. Awesome ;)
    Also, you must know my son, who loses things to them being "stolen" all the time :)
    Is there any chance some well-meaning but foolish friend threw it out after noticing the broken bit? Also, good to know what those suckers are called. I don't think I'd ever used a name for mine (which I've had for about 15 years, so I can imagine your pain if mine got up & walked away.)

    ReplyDelete
  3. I am very sorry about your claw. Pray to St. Anthony. He works for everyone, not just Catholics ;-)

    Love your cards, love your blog, especially love your sense of humor.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I loaf you too and I'd be thrilled to pop over and stamp with you, if only I lived closer. Sorry about your spaghetti claw :(

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'm pretty sure your claw-snatcher also took my first 39 box cutters. Yeah, I keep buying them because they keep disappearing.

    And I loaf you, too. I think I still have the last pun set NIP. ;/

    WV: wifeleco
    Wife grabs her husband's arm, and he says, "wifeleco".

    ReplyDelete
  6. you cats are not declawed are they? Seems unfair that you are...I would look at them...course...The Other...does he actually like spaghetti? Could be a suspect too....we need to call Agatha!
    I completely agree with vdoyle8 about St Anthony...that dude ROCKS the lost stuff, I could tell you lost and found St Anthony stories until the claw comes home!
    Yes i am a little punchy...why do you ask?

    WD: amedue
    As In: I hope amedue laugh

    ReplyDelete
  7. Lydia, so you like to cook, and you appreciate good vanilla extract! Do you, by any chance, buy from Penzey's Spices? You can find them online and you can order online and they have the freshest spices for cheap, and I love them! I buy their vanilla extract, and their vanilla beans, which I use to make into vanilla sugar. More info available upon request.

    Love the food cards! Grin!

    Hugs,
    Susan, aka Soozie4Him on SCS
    moot96 AT aol DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  8. Merry Christmas! If you pasta claw, doesn't turn up, you might be able to console yourself with this one: http://www.amazon.com/Fred-PSAUR-Pastasaurus/dp/B002L162HQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1387819905&sr=8-1&keywords=pastasaurus

    ReplyDelete
  9. You will not believe this, but my spaghetti claw was exactly like yours -- white and a tooth missing, and mine is missing, too -- I don't think I have seen it since I moved here to Austin because I haven't cooked spaghetti since I moved here! There may be a claw thief lurking out there somewhere!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Too funny that I come here and read this post. My kitchen timer up and left my kitchen around the time of Thanksgiving dinner. No call, no note, no nothin'. I'm guessing it might have hitched a ride in the bundle of biodegradable leftovers that made their way to the garbage can in rolled up newspaper. But I guess I'll never know (and may I say that bugs the crap outta me!)

    ReplyDelete

Every time you leave a comment, a new LOLcat is born. ALSO - don't panic if you don't see your comment right away - I moderate my comments to keep those spammers out, so your comment will show up in short order. Unless you're linking me to Russian brides or Nigerian princes.

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