Adventures in Sourdough, Part 1

Discovering sourdough, all aspects, is very much an adventure.  It seems quite wasteful to toss out a portion of the dough, just to feed it.  It's a much better service to feed my family, friends, and myself.  Suddenly, our bill for flour and butter has increased along with the need to bicycle away in the evenings.  But it's so worth the effort and extra calories.  Even then, using the starter is not always practical.  So we dry it.

Magic Man and I travel - a lot.  Often not together.  Maintaining the starter can be challenging.  Asking Magic Man is probably not the best idea either.  He has other things far more important than playing with paste.  He'd rather eat the paste than tend to it.

My supplier, Mr. M tells me I can freeze starter, thaw it in the fridge overnight, and feed the next day.  I discovered we can dehydrate starter, crumble and store in an airtight jar until needed.  Mr M was a happy camper... literally.  He loves to camp and now he can have his sourdough pancakes on the trail.

It's quite an easy process, along with a few memorable lessons, to dehydrate starter.  Let's begin...

First, feed the starter and when its happy, stir it down.  On a sheet of plastic (I used gallon sized freezer bags) or sil-pat, spread the starter just as thin as you can.  Then spread it a little more.  The air temp should be warm.  I oh so wisely chose to use my dehydrator set on low, taping the plastic to the trays.  That was good... and bad. 

Starter spread on plastic freezer bags

In 30 minutes, it was evident the dehydrator was drying quickly.  I smiled and walked away, proud that I was so darned clever. 

Starter after 30 minutes of drying

Something told me to check back sooner, but instead I returned three hours later.  The starter had "drawn up," pulled up the tape causing the starter to crumble.  When I opened the door to the dehydrator, I was blasted by a cloud of sourdough snow.  There were flakes everywhere. There was enough dried starter left on the trays for experimenting - without have to recover the delicate flakes from the floor. 

Next time, the dehydrator will run for 1 hour, we'll pull the trays and crank up the heat.  Then we'll turn off the machine, return the trays, and let the starter continue to dry in the warmed box.

To use, mix a little warm water with the starter flakes.  Slowly add water until the mixture is pancake batter consistency.  Let the mixture sit a few hours to activate.  Use in your favorite recipe.

Sourdough Pancakes and French Toast.

The experiments continue.  I can't bring myself to discard sourdough starter only to replenish and keep the starter alive.  I pulled out my trusty book and hunted for the next test.

This book is a very good sourdough reference.

The next batch of starter was made into pancakes.  Once again Magic Man was missing from the homestead.  This recipe makes enough pancakes to feed a crowd, but it was only me at the house.  So I cut back - a lot.  The batter starts Saturday night.

I added 1/2 cup of starter to a glass bowl.  To this I added 1 cup warm water and 1-1/4 cup flour and mixed well.  It was a little thick, a little lumpy just as the recipe described.  Covered with plastic wrap and a tea towel, the bowl sat in a warm corner in the kitchen until daybreak.  

The first thing Sunday morning, after a cup of coffee and a quick reread of the instructions, 1/2 cup of starter went back into the starter jar.  By now the started had thinned and was quite bubbly.

To the remaining starter I added 1 egg, 1 tablespoon oil, 2 tablespoons powdered milk and beat this well.  In a separate cereal bowl mixed 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 tablespoon of sugar.  This mixture was sprinkled over the batter, and gently folded in.  Step back and watch the magic.  The mixture started to foam and grow.  

Pancake batter before the baking soda

It was quite an amazing moment.  It was time to let this sit for a moment while the cast iron skillet (or comal) was heated and lightly coated with oil.  If it's not thin enough, you can add a little milk.

By now the batter was really bubbly.

Pancake batter after the baking soda was added

Sourdough Jack advises making small pancakes.  Use a tablespoon of batter at a time.  It should sizzle when it hits the skillet.

Side 1 Sizzling. 

The cakes don't take long to cook.  Flip when the cake is filled with exploded bubbles.

Side 2 Finishing

This recipe made about 15 pancakes.  I thought there would be plenty left over.  These are the lightest, fluffiest pancakes I'd ever eaten.  As a matter of fact, I ate 8 of these in one sitting drowning in fresh maple syrup.  They were so good.  The rest of that batch went to Mom's house.  She hid them for her breakfast the next day.  She enjoyed them as much as I did.  

Mmmmm... Pancakes!!

My friend suggested the next week I use sourdough starter for French toast.  He ran short of milk one day so he subbed starter for milk in his French toast batter, setting out 1/2 cup of starter the night before.  Mix in an egg, a bit of sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon.  The toast was so delicate and delicious.  I wolfed it down so fast, I didn't think about taking pictures.  You'll just have to trust me on this one.

Sourdough French Bread

For my birthday this year, I received a jar of Sourdough Starter.  Sourdough French bread would be my first project since Magic Man was traveling.  It was the perfect time to experiment.  Taking a deep breath, I ventured into uncharted territory.

Per the instructions, I measured 1-1/2 cups of warm water into my bread crock, added 1 tablespoon of yeast, 1 cup of room temperature starter, 4 cups flour, 2 teaspoons each sugar and salt.  Then beat vigorously for 3-4 minutes and set it aside to rise for 1-1/2 hours to rise.

My first batch didn't absorb the flour and was a little thin for the initial rise, but it still worked well in the end.  I added more flour with the baking soda step.  Batch number 2 looked better, but the end results were the same.

Before rising

After rising

Now it's time to mix 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda with 1 cup of flour, keeping an extra cup of flour handy.  Knead in the flour & soda mixture to the dough, working in additional flour as needed to minimize the stickiness.  Knead 5-10 minutes until the dough is smooth and satiny.  Shape into loaves, lightly grease baking pan, then lightly coat pan with cornmeal.  Gently place dough on prepared pan and score the loaves.

Shaped and Scored Loaf

Cover and let this rise until double in size again.

Loaf Doubled, Ready for the Oven

Here's where the book and I part directions.  Preheat the oven to 400F.  Place the baking pan on the lower 1/3 part of the oven.  Spray the inside of the oven with water to create steam.  Close and bake 15 minutes.  Spray a second time and bake another 10-15 minutes.  The loaf will be a deep golden color when done.

Baste the loaf with butter.  Wait impatiently to be cool enough to slice.

Finished Sourdough French Loaf

Second Batch Finished.

I love kneading sourdough.  It is the softest, silkiest dough I've ever handled.  It kneads and shapes beautifully.  

Valentine's Day #1

My granddaughter spent Valentine's Day with me.  Her Mama and Daddy had a short weekend to themselves.  Magic Man was on the road, entertaining families for the Lover's holiday.  We will celebrate when he is home again.

Zoe just celebrated her 2nd birthday.  She told me at breakfast Thursday she wanted pizza and salad Friday night.  Not bad menu planning for a kiddo her age.  Pizza it is, so we made homemade pizza.  We got the recipe from "12 Tomatoes" and it is one of the best I've ever tasted.  The salad was a simple compilation of lettuce, cucumber slices, and shaved carrots.  It looked like a flower, but most of the flower was eaten before I could get the camera to the table. (Note to self - photo before placing dish in front of the kid)

Cheesy Pizza from 12 Tomatoes

We were up early (like 5 a.m. - yawn and streeeetch) Saturday, Zoe hungry for yesterday's egg harvest.  It was probably a good thing, we had a busy day ahead of us.  Shortly after breakfast we fed the chickens, then started Strawberry Jam.

We gave a good rinse to the berries at the kitchen sink.  Zoe is in charge of Quality Control.

High quality berries make the best jam.

 Then it was time to husk the berries.  I cut a little too much off one of the berries.  Zoe sifted through the chicken scraps and put the red parts back into the berry bowl.  She was very patient pulling off the green parts.

Zoe quickly learns to husk berries

 A quick spin in the food processor and the jam starts cooking.  The house is filled with the fresh scent of sweet berries.  There is no commercial fragrance that can compare.

Pectin and sugar in the fruit mixture.  Yummy.  Smells heavenly in here.

 It was not easy waiting to sample the finished product, but the wait was worth every second.  "No toast, spoon!" was Zoe's recommendation.  I have to agree.  Sometimes it is best to veer from the norm.

Nine pints should get us by until peaches are ready to harvest. 

It was time for lunch and a nap.  5 a.m. caught up with both of us.  The last activity of the day was planting the garden.  We planted strawberries (Magic Man and I never did get any from last year, so we  bought 12 more plants - I'm keeping my fingers crossed, but not very hopeful), a set of onions, potatoes, and cabbage.  Zoe loved breaking up the dirt clods.  She's the only person I know who loves this clay soil.

Tilling the old fashioned way and guarding strawberries

The chores are finally over.  We grabbed chairs and watched the chickens race from the pen and scratch in the fallen leaves.  They found worms and tender little greens.  We had a bowl of Blue Bell on the back porch swing and waited for Mama to come.

Zoe wasn't ready for the day to end, and neither was I.  But she'll come back soon to help plant more seeds.  Perhaps I'll be rested by then.  Maybe we'll make homemade bread to go with some jam.

Oh, and Mama - don't forget the hair ties next time (I never have the right ones on hand).  The little bands that held her cute pigtails don't last more than one use.  I hate sending my angel back home looking like a ragamuffin.

Love,
KoKo

P.S.  KoKo is the translated name given to me.  I wanted to be called Eko, Osage for grandmother.  Zoe couldn't quite get that name out.  KoKo is fine with me.   Magic Man answers to PawPaw.  even I can't say In' Dan Zhe for grandfather.

Makin' Bacon

Yesterday was day 10 of the curing process for bacon.  You may recall one shelf in my refrigerator was packed with curing pork belly and the tedious task of waiting.  To be honest, there was one step involved here - after five days, I had to flip the slabs of meat.  Oh how exciting.

Curing Pork Belly

At last, day 10 arrived.  The pork bellies were rinsed and soaked for 2 hours, changing the water midway.  The meat was patted and allowed to dry further for another hour.  During the final drying period, the smoker was fired up to 200 F.  Just before placing the meat on the racks, we added pecan wood chunks and let the pit fill with smoke.

The meat was placed fat side down on the smoking racks.  Charcoal or pecan wood chunks were frequently added to keep the smoke rising out of the stack and maintain a temperature around 175 F.  We rotated the slabs every hour, to distribute the heat and cooking time evenly.  Six hours later, we transferred the bacon to the kitchen.  Not all of the meat made it to the fridge for cooling.  Some was sacrificed for dinner last night.  Yummy BLATs (BLT with Avocado).

Here is a photo of my mom's meat slicer.  This was one of her wedding gifts in '56.  It works great!  The only drawback is the bacon slabs need to be halved.  They are too long to fit on the slicer.

Mama's Meat Slicer

 Here are the short slices of bacon.  The meat is very lean.  So much for collecting bacon grease for future cooking projects.

BACON!!

Bacon and Lemons

It has been a long time, a very long time, since I've posted anything here.  Life seems to get in the way of the blog life.  A new granddaughter, changes at work, moving 300 miles (closer to my granddaughter), ailing family took up time.  Couple that with not having a camera handy when it's most needed.  Excuses, excuses!    My Grandmother told me that excuses are the sign of a weak person.

So back to busy-ness.  A few weeks ago, I discovered pay dirt in the form of a tiny, nearly hidden butcher shop in my new town.  Keep in mind I frequently read and am inspired by Cowgirl and Ohio Farmgirl.   These ladies can do ANYTHING and they DO everything.  Blend them with Maxine and you have the perfect woman.  Well, that would be the woman I want to be.

So, this week has been productive and fun.  We came back from a cousin's wedding, snagged back my dehydrator from Mom's.  (I had no room for it in the apartment, but now in a house - woo hoo, I can stretch my kitchen wings again).

Last week, I purchased a big bag of lemons. Today I sliced them in 1/8" slices and cranked up the heat (155 F) on my little Excalibur.  Six hours later, dried lemon slices.

 

Lemon Slices Drying

Then I purchased 20 lb of pork belly from the butcher yesterday.  It was frozen solid.  Really solid.  So solid, the butcher had to saw the slabs (frozen together) to make a sale.  Seven hours ticked by, then I could pull the still frozen slabs apart.

Slab set 1 of 2

OK, I'll get back on track.  The pork is beautifully streaked and very meaty.

Slab set 2 of 2

My mouth is watering for a bacon sandwich now.  But there are steps, and waiting, lots of waiting before that happens.

I grabbed my bacon cure (from the Pork Heaven near Mom's place) out of the pantry.

Bacon Cure

Trimmed the skin off the pork belly (see what to do with this little treasure (click here for chicharrones)

Trimming the skin off the pork belly

Massaged in the cure, anywhere and everywhere, wrapped in plastic bags and stuffed the meat into the refrigerator.

Cold curing

Now we wait for 5 days.  Tick... tick... tick... tick... tic

Y'all come back, now, ya hear?

Mimicking Hamburger Helper

Magic Man was a well established bachelor when we met.  He was and is independent, a handyman, a very talented illusion manufacturer, housekeeper, and cooks to survive - not because he likes that task.  To be fair, he does a few really good recipes "up his sleeve", so to speak.  I love his potato salad, beans, ribs, fajitas, and sausage.  HIS personal favorites added Hamburger Helper, canned asparagus, and green beans overloaded with bacon, onions, and salt.

The other night, like every night this week, required a quick meal at home.  At work I wondered what we could toss together and be palatable.  I don't stock Hamburger Helper in my pantry, but decided with our stock we could mimic Magic Man's favorite "blend."

Arriving home from work, I headed straight for the kitchen snatching a large baking potato and onion en route.  My trusty Dutch oven started heating on the burner and after a quick potato prep, we sliced it into thicker-than-potato-chip pieces.  We browned the potato slices in hot oil in the Dutch oven, then chopped the onion while the potato slices cook.  The spuds were done, so they started the draining excess oil process and were set aside.  Back in the Dutch oven, the onions sautéd to which we added some ground beef.  A quick defatting of the meat mixture and addition of some flour - I guess it was a couple of tablespoons, we stirred this together and let the mixture bubble and brew for a while.  It was time to toss in some salt, pepper, and minced garlic followed by a cup-ish of chicken broth.  This mixture was thickening nicely and starting to smell really good.  During that simmering time, I discovered a package of frozen peas and dumped those in.  Back in went the potatoes, followed by a couple of big dollops of sour cream.  A final good stir and it was time to eat.

Magic Man complained.  We should have doubled the recipe.

No pictures to go with this story.  Maybe next time.  No one expected this meal to be a hit.  The best part is, this recipe becomes one of our "Some" collection.

Asparagus Pasta

I love recipes.  I especially love recipes whose measurements are accurately noted as "some."

Tonight we had a quick, one dish meal, portioned just for Magic Man and me.  This recipe was adapted from an article in Southern Living magazine so many years ago I can't recall the issue.  We replaced their pecans with our leftover chicken to present this dish as perfect for our family.

Start "some" (about 1 cup) mini penne pasta boiling in the Dutch oven.  I prefer the penne.  It has the same proportions as the vegetables.

While that's cooking, cut 1 red bell pepper into matchsticks,

cut "some" asparagus into 1" pieces,

chop "some" leftover chicken,

and mince 3-6 cloves of garlic.  Have ready some seasonings to taste:  pepper, basil, parsley, (fresh if you have the luxury of herbs handy) and a chicken bouillon cube.  I cheated this time, since I also have no fresh garlic tonight.  Must be time to head back to the local market.

Also, consider scooping "some" of the pasta water, and have a handful of Parmesan cheese close at hand.

Drain the pasta when it's al dente, breathe a sigh of relief that you were wise to reserve the pasta water ahead of time.  Meanwhile, back in the Dutch oven, begin to saute the red bell pepper.  After some minutes, usually 3, toss in the asparagus.  Stir that around for another three minutes or so.  Add the chicken, garlic, seasonings, and chicken bouillon cube.  Stir in a couple tablespoons of reserved pasta water.  Add more water as needed. Just before serving add the Parmesan, toss to coat.

If you're lucky, pour the mixture into a serving dish just in time for dinner.  Magic Man prefers to scoop it out of the pan.  He dares not wait a moment longer to eat.

This recipe easily exchanges or changes ingredients... shrimp, spinach, broccoli, mushrooms, jalapeno, pasta shape.

Enjoy!

Birthday Wednesday

Today is Birthday Wednesday.  That means the Safety Meeting will be a little more fun today.

At my facility, we are a warehouse of mechanics, cablers, machinists, and welders with a sprinkling of R&D engineers.  We engineers spend a lot of time utilizing these talented people and visiting their shops.  It can be a dangerous place, especially when I get to operate the forklift (just kidding - I am certified to do so).

Each Wednesday, HSE hosts our weekly safety meeting.  No earth shattering news, just reminders about daily safe operations and housekeeping.  Occasionally, we attend a first aid training class.

Once a month, the first Wednesday, I bring desserts to the break room to honor coworkers celebrating a birthday.  Brownies, by far, are the most popular and requested treat. This month, the added treats are Sopapilla Cheesecake Squares. 

Sopapilla Cheesecake

Sopapilla Cheesecake

2 tubes of 8 refrigerated crescent rolls
2 8 oz blocks of cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 stick butter, melted

Butter a 7" X 11" baking dish.  Open and layer one tube of the crescent rolls on the bottom of the pan.  Press the seams together, curl the edges up the sides of the pan a bit.

Combine 1 cup of sugar, the cream cheeses and vanilla until blended.  Spread the mixture over the crescent roll crust.

Top with the second tube of crescent rolls, this time tucking in the edges.  An icing spatula works well.  Seal the edges, again the spatula comes in handy.

Pour the butter over the top (yes, I know the original recipe calls for an entire stick, but we like the lightened version).  Help the butter, if needed, to cover all of the dough.

Combine the remaining sugar and cinnamon.  Sprinkle generously over the butter.  Bake 350F for 35-45 minutes.  The butter should be absorbed.

Cool and serve.

I enjoy this at home with a bowl of fresh berries.

Mmmmmm... Brownies!

New Year's Day is Magical

Today is New Year's Day.  Magic Man and I are headed into the Big City, joining his magical colleagues for a traditional celebration: food, friends, and fun.  Mrs. K is making ham, cole slaw, and black-eyed peas.  Yummy!

Against better judgment, I'm bringing deviled eggs.  I can't visit without taking a dish with me.  I wasn't raised to do otherwise.

Magic Man likes his eggs very dilly and mustardy.  I doubt those two adjectives are real words, but you get the idea.  I like my HOT!  Others don't like them so hot.  I made three recipes.

Mustardy-Dilly Ingredients

Dilly Devils

Original DE Ingredients

And the Deviled Egg

With the Addition of Sliced and Diced Jalapenos

The Hot Devils

All of the Above - Now I'm hungry

We arrived at the K's home, just in time.  The Deviled Eggs served before our late arrival had just disappeared.  Typical for a group of magicians.
Sorry this and the other postings are late and clumped together.  While dining with our friends on New Years, I received a call that a childhood friend of mine died in an auto crash.  HS was my mom's next door neighbor in the Barren Thicket; I knew him 45 years.

Trying to come to grips with the news, I took a few days away from posting stories.  Sadly, I'm still reeling from the news of another friend, who six weeks earlier, died in a similar way and my stolen car over NY's weekend. 

Nummie!! Chocolate Covered Cherries

Magic Man loves chocolate covered cherries.  The last couple of boxes we bought were disappointing... fewer candies and chunks of - not whole cherries, all that for mooooore money.  What?

It was time to surf for an alternative.

I can't remember where we found this recipe, but it's used as a guide line.  This recipe makes tasty cherry confections with the runny, red tinted, cherry-flavored filling.  We can give four gift boxes for the cost of one box of today's chocolate covered cherries.

Drain the maraschino cherries on paper toweling.   They look festive already, don't they?

Wrap the filling around each cherry.  Cut the filling and flatten between two pieces of plastic wrap.  This makes the wrapping around the cherry task so much easier.  Also, keep the filling in the freezer, using 5-6 at a time.  Once the filling gets warm, it's not so easy to shape.

Dip and leave alone!!  One week, no cheating.
(Make extras to sample before anyone notices missing product.  Who wants to serve "raw" chocolate covered cherries?)

Here are a few tips:

• Chill the filling overnight.
• Cut the filling into 54 pieces, freeze immediately.  Start wrapping in about 15 minutes.
• 54?  This this makes 48.  The chef needs to random sample the product to ensure it is ready.  Making 54 gives you a cushion to serve 48.  The worst possible case is you will be burnt out on chocolate covered cherries and won't eat any at your party.  The guests will be envious of your holiday will-power.
• Press the filling between two pieces of plastic wrap.  Using the bottom of a juice glass keeps warm fingers off and the filling cold, making wrapping an easier task.
• Remember to chill the cherries again at least one hour.  The chocolate sticks better.
• Make 48 (54) 1/2" dots of chocolate on waxed paper.  Place each dipped cherry on a dot.  This ensures the bottom of the candy will be sealed, eliminating messy leaks.
• Survey the dipped cherries for holes.  Patch with a spot of melted chocolate.
• Visit The Chocolate Addict for valuable chocolate advise:  http://chocolatedecorating.com/.  She has great instructional videos on YouTube.

CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRIES

48 (54) maraschino cherries, you can use the cherries with stems

3 T butter, softened - gotta be butter!

3 T corn syrup

2 c sifted confectioners' sugar

1 lb chocolate confectioners' coating (we prefer real chocolate)

Drain cherries and set on paper towels to dry.

In a medium bowl, combine butter and corn syrup until smooth. Stir in confectioners' sugar and knead to form a dough. Wrap in plastic.  Chill to stiffen.  (This is when I cut the filling into 48 (54) pieces and freeze.  Wrap each cherry in about 1 teaspoon of dough.  Chill cherries until firm.

Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper.  Melt confectioners' coating in a heavy saucepan over low heat.  Dip each cherry in chocolate coating and place on waxed paper.  Chill until completely set, about 10 minutes.  Store in an airtight container in a cool place for the filling to melt.  Best after 1 week.

Winter Food

We're back home after visiting with my daughter and her husband for Christmas.  This was her first time as a hostess for a holiday meal.  It was wonderful and the portions were perfect.  She had enough leftovers for a meal for she and her husband.

Ready to relax, I thought it would be fun to share a holiday story about my family...  Dad and Mom were trying to decide what to eat for dinner later in the week.

Dad:  "I hate winter.  Everything we eat is served in a bowl."
Mom:  "Well?  What do you want to eat?"
Dad:  "Ooh, chili sounds good!"

If it were me, I would be dumping his chili on a plate.

Happy recovery!

In Honor of Donner

This is one of my favorite Christmas memories...

Back in the day, my job transferred me four states from home.  In my mid 20's, that was a big deal.  It didn't take long to miss Mom's cooking, even though the local food was great.

I asked family for recipes.  They requested copies of the other recipes in exchange.  The final result was a family cookbook, "In Honor of Donner," after Mom's hometown.  Not only recipes arrived in my mailbox, but relatives sent snippets of memories and photos.  This project rapidly became more than a collection of cards originally envisioned.

My copy is worn, the binding disintegrated years ago.  What is left of the pages hides in a 3-ring binder in sheet protectors.  My working version resides on the web.

Most of my aunts are now gone.  My daughter, nieces, nephews and numbered cousins have a direct link to these relatives they never knew. 

Merry Christmas and many blessings for 2012.

Spicy Cracker Mix

My older brother is a great cook.   He has a knack for spying a good recipe, much like the ladies in the family.  To that, he can modify a recipe that makes it even more exciting.  We make this treat a Christmas time only. 

The cracker ensemble.  I found some Texas shaped crackers, aren't they adorable?

The mixed crackers.  The tomatoes are for bowl size reference only.

Mmmmm, doesn't this look good?  But wait, there's more.

The seasonings

Baking away in the oven.

SPICY CRACKER MIX

12-14 cups of mixed crackers

1 cup of oil (I only use 1/2 cup and it works perfectly fine, less greasy mess)

1 package of Ranch DIP mix

1 teaspoon dill weed

1 teaspoon lemon pepper

1 teaspoon celery seed

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preheat the oven to 200 F.

Open the assortment of crackers (we use Cheez-Its, Wheat Thins, Ritz, Sociables, pretzel bows, potato strings, 2 packages of oyster crackers, and a local grocery's butter crackers - this doubles the seasonings and oil amounts).  Place them in a huge metal bowl and toss to combine.

Add the seasonings to the oil and whisk well.  Pour over the crackers and toss to coat.  Put the bowl in the oven and bake for 1 hour, turning the crackers every 15 minutes.  Remove, let the mixture cool, and package.

IF, and we do mean if, you are fortunate enough to have leftovers, they freeze well.  I've been known to package them in snack portions and hide through the deep freezer.

Merry Christmas!