7 minute read
GOOD EATS
No-bake nibbles
It’s summer! Who wants to turn on the oven just so you can enjoy a little dessert?
RECIPES AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY CATHERINE MURRAY
CANNOLI CONES
Prep: 20 minutes | Servings: 12 1¼ cups mini chocolate chips, divided 12 sugar cones 8 ounces whole-milk ricotta 8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature ½ teaspoon vanilla extract ½ cup heavy cream ¾ cup powdered sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon
In a small, microwave-safe bowl that’s wide enough to dip the opening of a cone into, pour ½ cup of the mini chocolate chips. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring after each time, until just melted. Dip each cone in melted chocolate. Stand the cones upright in tall drinking glasses to let the chocolate solidify. If ricotta is watery, drain through cheesecloth, squeezing out excess liquid. In a large bowl with a mixer, beat cream cheese, ricotta, and vanilla extract. Gradually add heavy cream and beat until light and fluffy. Slowly incorporate powdered sugar and cinnamon until smooth. Fold in ½ cup of mini chocolate chips. Transfer mixture into a piping bag and pipe into cones. Top with remaining mini chocolate chips.
Per serving: 399 calories, 23 grams fat (14 grams saturated fat), 70 milligrams cholesterol, 225 milligrams sodium, 36 grams total carbohydrates, 0 grams fiber, 12 grams protein.
Prep: 30 minutes | Servings: 6 TOPPING ¾ cup sliced almonds 2/3 cup flour ¼ cup sugar ¼ cup packed brown sugar ¼ teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon salt 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted ½ teaspoon vanilla extract ½ cup oats
FILLING 2 pounds sweet cherries (fresh or frozen) 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ½ teaspoon almond extract ½ cup sugar ½ teaspoon salt 2 to 3 tablespoons cornstarch
Note: This dessert can also be made over a campfire! To make the topping: Finely chop ¼ cup of the sliced almonds. In a medium bowl, mix the chopped almonds, flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in melted butter and vanilla until the mixture easily crumbles. Mix in oats and remaining almonds. In a medium cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, toast almond/butter mixture, stirring regularly to keep from burning. Once golden and crisp (about 5 minutes), transfer back to bowl and set aside. To make the filling: Wipe off skillet and put back on stove. Add cherries, lemon juice, vanilla, and almond extract. Cook over medium-high heat until cherries are warmed. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine sugar, salt, and cornstarch (2 tablespoons for fresh cherries, 3 for frozen). Add sugar mixture to cherries and continue stirring regularly until cherry juice thickens to a nice syrup consistency, about 10 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes, then spread almond topping evenly over cherries. Garnish with whipped cream if desired and serve.
Per serving: 552 calories, 18 grams fat (8 grams saturated fat), 31 milligrams cholesterol, 403 grams sodium, 94 grams total carbohydrates, 3.5 grams fiber, 5.5 grams protein. UNICORN BARK
Prep: 25 minutes | Chill: 1 hour | Servings: 20 12 ounces bright pink candy melts 6 ounces turquoise candy melts 6 ounces lavender candy melts ¼ cup pastel sprinkles 6 ounces white candy melts Notes: The candy melts should be vanilla flavored. Candy will lose its consistency and may not re-solidify if overheated or liquid is added (such as food coloring or milk.) Get creative with the theme of your bark, like red, white, and blue melts for the Fourth of July, superhero bark, peppermint bark, rainbow bark, s’mores bark … the options are endless! Place parchment paper onto a baking sheet and set aside. Pour each color of candy melts into a separate microwave safe bowl and microwave according to package directions. Using a large spoon or spatula, drop a dollop of melted white candy on each corner of the parchment paper and one in the center. With a clean spoon, intersperse dollops of the remaining colors in between the white. Use a flat icing spatula to slowly draw lines through all the colors, blending to create a marbling effect. Drizzle any leftover melted candy across the top. While it’s still tacky, garnish with sprinkles, then let cool at room temperature for 10 minutes. Cover loosely with parchment and place in freezer for 1 hour. Break or cut into pieces of bark. Store in a sealed container.
Per serving: 210 calories, 12 grams fat (11 grams saturated fat), 35 milligrams sodium, 0 grams cholesterol, 27 grams total carbohydrates, 0 grams fiber, 0 grams protein.
MESSAGE FROM THE GENERAL MANAGER
We’re ready for storm season. Are you?
Now that summer is in full swing, like many of you, I welcome more opportunities to be outdoors and enjoy the warmer weather. Summertime means the return of many of our favorite activities, like cooking out with family and friends, afternoons on the water, and simply slowing down a bit to enjoy life. But summer months also make conditions right for dangerous storms. Severe weather events can cause destruction to our electrical system, but I want you to know that Carroll Electric Cooperative crews are ready and standing by to respond, should power outages occur in our area. When major storms knock out power, our line crews take all necessary precautions before they get to work on any downed lines. I would encourage you to also practice safety and preparedness to protect your family during major storms and outages. The Federal Emergency Management Agency recommends the items below as a starting point for storm and disaster preparedness, but you can visit www. ready.gov for additional resources. • Stock your pantry with a three-day supply of nonperishable food, such as canned goods, energy bars, peanut butter, powdered milk, instant coffee, water, and other essentials (e.g., diapers and toiletries). • Confirm that you have adequate sanitation and hygiene supplies, including towelettes, soap, and hand sanitizer. • Ensure your first-aid kit is stocked with pain relievers, bandages, and other medical essentials and make sure your prescriptions are current. • Set aside basic household items you will need, including flashlights, batteries, a manual can opener, and a portable, battery-powered radio or TV. • Organize emergency supplies so they are easily accessible in one location. In the event of a prolonged power outage, turn off major appliances, TVs, computers, and other sensitive electronics. This will help avert damage from a power surge and will also help prevent overloading the circuits during power restoration. That said, do leave one light on so you will know when power is restored. If you plan to use a small generator, make sure it’s rated to handle the amount of power you will need and always review the manufacturer’s instructions to operate it safely. Listen to local news or NOAA Weather Radio for storm and emergency information and check Carroll Electric’s Facebook page (@CarrollElectricCoop) for power restoration updates. one four four six two zero zero After the storm, avoid downed power lines and walking through flooded areas where power lines could be submerged. Allow ample room for utility crews to safely perform their jobs, including on your property. Advance planning for severe storms or other emergencies can reduce stress and anxiety caused by the weather event and can lessen the impact of the storm’s effects. Sign up for NOAA emergency alerts and warnings and download our SmartHub app to stay abreast of power restoration efforts and other important co-op news and information. Visit https://cecpower.coop/what-smarthub for directions on downloading our SmartHub app and adding your Carroll Electric account to the app. I hope we don’t experience severe storms this summer, but we can never predict Mother Nature’s plans. At Carroll Electric, we recommend that you act today because there is power in planning. From our co-op family to yours, we hope you have a safe and wonderful summer.
Larry Fenbers CEO/GENERAL MANAGER
Beat the peak!
Did you know that the cost of electricity goes up during periods of peak demand?
Normally, electricity costs only pennies per kilowatt-hour. During peak load times, it can cost as high as a dollar per kilowatt-hour!
PEAK LEVEL PEAK LEVEL
Electricity cost is highest when demand is greatest. The maximum, or “peak,” amount of electricity used determines your cooperative’s future cost of power. When the peak goes up, so does the cost for all members. You can help by conserving energy during those peak use periods, often in late afternoon during the hottest days of summer. We offer incentives to members who participate in our load management program by having a radio-controlled switch installed on their electric water heater. When the switch is activated during a peak alert, the system will cycle on and off for brief periods of time to help us conserve energy. Call our o ce for details on how you can have a radio-controlled switch installed and help us beat the peak!
