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Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Figs, Fur and FINALLY!!!

First things first, HAPPY FIG NEWTON DAY!!!  If you happened to be reading a few posts ago, I alerted you all to some upcoming dates.  Of that whole list, the most unappealing one of all, to me, was Fig Newton Day.  Fig Newtons have never really done anything for me.  The look, shape, smell...all very unappetizing to me.  So I must be honest...until I bought them today for this recipe, I had never even tasted one!  That all changed today.  And I learned something.  My instinct for food is spot-on.  I didn't like them at all.  They taste like they look and smell.  Not a fan.  But, I forged ahead and made this recipe that sounded like a good way to disguise them.  As it turns out, these sad little cookies made a waste of perfectly good coffee and ice cream.  And whipped cream.  And vanilla.  And sugar.  Stop me now, or I'll just keep going.

BUT!!  I had my official taste-testing team give me their verdict, and they loved it.  If you give any credibility to a crew with a combined 35 years food-tasting experience (less if you are only counting solid foods), then you might want to try this.  Me?  No thank you.  And since I'm trying to avoid sugar, that's okay by me.  But to each his own:




Mocha Mousse
(taken from cooks.com)

18 Fig Newtons
1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup coffee
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. vanilla
1 pt. heavy cream or 8 oz. Cool Whip
1 cup toasted nuts (I left these out.  Who needs all that fat??)
1 qt. chocolate ice cream

In a saucepan, combine crumbled Fig Newtons, evaporated milk, sugar and coffee.  Stir while heating and cook about 5 minutes.  (This recipe was painfully vague, and I didn't know what time to start timing the 5 min.  I just waited until it was well-heated and then started the timer.)  Remove from heat and add in cinnamon and vanilla.  Refrigerate until cool.  When cool, stir in whipped cream or Cool Whip, nuts, and softened ice cream.  Pour into mold or parfait glasses.  (I just used small ramekins.)  Freeze. 

For the fur part of this post, I'm very relieved to report that our dear old dog is not in immediate danger of seeing his last days.  It's a long story, and I'm feeling impatient because of my next topic...but suffice it to say there is no evidence right now of cancer, and we are going to "wait and see" on one suspicion.  In the meantime, he gets some doggie Advil and some extra TLC.

And, now for the FINALLY!!!  I have been waiting to type these words for so long now:  I have official clearance to RUN!!  Woot-Woot!  As soon as I finish this, I'm firing up the treadmill and going for a very controlled, experimental one-mile run!!  I'll take it.  I'm so hopeful and prayerful that this old foot responds as beautifully as I need it to.  I shudder to think of how much I'm going to labor through ONE mile, but it's a start, right?!  WOO-HOO!!

"I've Got a Feeling (WOO-HOO...) that tonight's gonna be a good night..." 

6 comments:

  1. Okay, that is one nasty looking mousse, and that is coming from one who likes Fig Neutons. Well, actually I like the blueberry neutons and the raspberry ones too. The blueberry neutons are like eating a little blueberry pie... ah, but I digress. Super glad to hear Archie's appointment well and SUPER DUPER glad to hear you can run again!

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  2. run, run, run..........let's make a date. Perhaps?

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  3. Run like the wind Bullseye. :)

    Ellen

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  4. Ellen, if you find your way back here...

    I'm running like a gentle breeze per doctor's orders... :)

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  5. My husband loves fig newtons and I have to admit one or two once a year is good for me.
    Won't be making this recipe though, he doesn't have a sweet tooth like me so why waste all those goodies when he would be just as happy with just the cookie.
    Lois

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  6. Well, thanks for the 'effort'..but no thanks! Gotta hand it to ya for including things that you personally wouldn't like! Now that's dipomatic of you!!

    Claudia

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