Everybody Needs a Little Whoopee Pie Now and Again

     Things have changed dramatically for me, when I became a "pseudo-boss". I am suddenly, very aware of the employees time cards, what they are doing during their shifts, and how can I cut corners. Oh My God, do you feel the insanity in that? I used to get mad, when the Executive Chef suddenly was lurking. I get it now.

      I must grow a backbone, or one that I can chuck into the dumpster on the way out.  Before this, I worked for various grandiose chefs that thought balsamic vinegar aged any less that 25 years, was somehow inferior. WELL. yes if you live .... Manhattan. This little neck of the woods is in no way Manhattan. People that live here year round, are just regular working folk, that want to be able to pronounce what they are eating, and not need a weed whacker to eat their entree.

     Small towns are just what they, are small towns, everyone knows every ones  business, and if they don't know, they know someone who does. For example, just recently we had a homicide here. Yes, I know, happens everyday in your neck of the woods. But still, why do we have newspapers? You can learn all you need to know by just asking the right people.

     Trust me, not much happens up here, that is why I live here. But, when something like a homicide happens, all sorts of ideas go through your head. You appreciate your friends a bit more, say " I love you", more often, and keep your children closer. Final decisions such as death, tend to stir up fear in our own lives, whether you live in Manhattan or Brattleboro.

     My life has changed in so many ways. If you told me ten years ago, that I would quit working the hot line, quit smoking, learn to garden, write a food blog, and become a boss. I would probably think you were nuts. One because I don't like change it scares me, and two refer to one. But I should say, I am doggie paddling quite nicely.

    In the past, I craved the adrenalin rush, from cooking during a dinner rush. It was easily 130 degrees, your buried up to your eyeballs in dinner tickets, and it is only 5:30pm. I had a lot of fun, but I missed out on a lot, with my children too. Some days I miss the once was, but less and less. Moving on and change is healthy. I am proof of it.

    Speaking of change, I decided that the Whoopee Pie needed a little facelift. While the Mainers and the Pennsylvanians argue over who did it first, I will sneak a good recipe in.

Red Velvet Whoopee Pies

1/2 cup Butter Flavored Crisco
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 
1 1/2 tablespoons red food coloring
2 cups flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
 Cream Cheese Filling
1 cup butter
1 pound confectioner's sugar
1/2 cup marshmallow fluff
2 ounces cream cheese
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

 In a bowl combine all the dry ingredients, being sure to sift the cocoa into the dry, and set aside. In a small bowl, crack your egg and add the vanilla and red food coloring, set aside.  In a standing mixer, add your Crisco and brown sugar and cream. Cool hint* your ice cream scoop(number 8 scoop), that sits most of the time in your drawer, is exactly 1/2 cup, and if you are like me, Crisco is messy. Scoop and your good to go*. While the mixer is on low, add the egg, vanilla and red food coloring and mix well. Starting with the dry, add to the mixer, with the buttermilk until all is incorporated. Cool hint 2* make sure before you are done mixing, to take a good scraping to the bowl. Because the sugar, 9 times out of ten is stuck to the bottom of the bowl, this results in whoopee pies that have the sugar separating from the dough. Kinda like the flat cookie, that is mostly sugar. After it is well mixed. Using a number 12 scoop, kinda the next size smaller.  Scoop your pies evenly apart from each other and bake in a 350 oven until the tops slightly spring back when you touch the top. Cool completely before you fill with the filling. Beat the butter, cream cheese, and fluff until soft, add the powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until fluffy. Well you know the rest.;)

The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook. —Julia Child