Lumps of coal for all!!

A friend's wife made these cookies (appropriate on SO many levels) for my birthday recently, and they were fabulous. She was kind enough to share the recipe (originally by King Arthur Flour). However, seeing as I am never one to leave well enough alone, I made a few changes (that had a fantastic impact) and am posting the recipe.

Lump of Coal Cookies
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 1/3 cups loosely packed dark brown sugar
3/4 t baking powder
1 1/2 t espresso powder
1 1/2 T Starbucks Creme Liquor
1/2 t salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup Dutch Process Cocoa (Hershey's Special Dark)
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup (dark) chocolate chips
(optional: nuts!!)

Preheat the oven to 350F. Plan to use either air bake sheets or parchment paper to line the pans.

Cream the butter, sugar, baking powder, espresso, liquor and salt. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until the mixture is smooth. Add the cocoa powder, then the flour. Then stir in (by hand) the chocolate chips.

Form coal shaped balls/briquettes and place them on the cookie sheet. These won't spread much, so don't worry about getting them kinda close. Bake 12 minutes (on the top rack) at 350F.

Cool and enjoy!

Coffee Cake

Coffee cake..... gotta love it. Even if it is a bit misleading, I mean it rarely has coffee in it, but nomenclature is often confusing, no matter the field.

Cinnamon Swirl Sour Cream Coffee Cake
1/2 cup butter, soft
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 t vanilla extract
3 cups flour
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1 lb sour cream (small container)

Cinnamon sugar: mix 1/2 cup sugar with 1 1/2 t cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350F. Cream butter and sugar. Add in eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Sift (yes, really sift it, or at least whisk them really well together) the flour, powder and soda. Alternately add 1/3 dry mix, 1/3 sour cream and so on....

Prepare (butter & flour or use baking spray) a 9"x13" pan. Sprinkle a thin coat of cinnamon sugar on the bottom of the pan. Add 1/2 the batter to the pan, liberally sprinkle with cinnamon sugar(most of it should go here), then add remaining batter and top with cinnamon sugar.

Bake 40-45 minutes at 350F, until toothpick comes out clean. Moist and delicious!

Lasagne for the masses

So, I think I have a slight tendency to over cook...... even when for a big group. Huh. This past weekend, I made 3 (rather large) lasange (plural for lasagna) for a dinner for ~100 people. Problem was, I wasn't the only one cooking - so there was a lot left.... oh well, it went to good homes.

The first step in the lasanga process, used by both Special Guest Susan and myself, is making meatballs, so I'll address that first.

Mom's Meatballs
Well, in this case, I made about 10lbs worth of meat (while my parents visited, mom rolled out all the balls - she was a saint), but I'll give you the scale-able version, this way you can cook for 2 people or as I seem to like to do, 200.

PER 1LB GROUND CHUCK (you want ground chuck for the fat. less fatty meat makes for dry meatballs. yuck)
2 eggs
1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped onion

Preheat the oven to 350F, mix well, form into balls and bake 25-30 min. (These can be made ahead)

Lasagna
You can make your own pasta sauce (I like to, I'm picky) or use store bought, which can work in a pinch - just make sure to season it.

Crush meatballs and mix generously with sauce, you want a really wet meat mixture

PER 1LB RICOTTA CHEESE
3 eggs
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup mozzarella
2 t granulated garlic
(here is where you can be creative - maybe add some drained frozen spinach, or mushrooms, etc)

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Generously coat the bottom of your pan with sauce, then layer (no boil) noodles, meat, noodles, cheese, and so on until you fill your pan. Add a last layer of noodles on top, coat generously with sauce, sprinkle with shredded mozzarella.

Bake at 350F for an hour on the middle rack. Move to top rack for an additional 10 minutes to brown cheese.

Enjoy.

It is the time of year when I love to be in the kitchen.....

where it is warm! In the fall, with cool nights (though warm days here in Knoxville, it gets into the 70s, even in November), the radiating warmth from the oven feels nice. These are the days where I start looking for excuses to cook things (and I am good at coming up with those). A colleague, Greg, wanted to have a pretend birthday (since he won't be in residence for his actual birthday) banana creme pie, and that was enough to send me into the kitchen.

The first thing I have to tell you, is that I was quite surprised to learn that banana creme pie didn't actually have banana creme in it.... it is just vanilla custard layered with fresh sliced bananas. Huh. Who knew? (luckily my cookbooks) I read a few recipes to get the feel for it, then decided to just go with my vanilla custard recipe (which is often used as a cake filling) since I had everything in the house and a premade graham cracker crust (shameful, I know, but I had it in the pantry and it is just packed crumbs).

Banana Creme Pie - or - Vanilla Custard Layered with Bananas Pie
1 graham cracker pie crust - store bought or press your own (crumbs & butter)
4-5 bananas, peeled and sliced into coins
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups milk (don't use skim, you need the fat)
4 egg yolks
1 t vanilla
1/4 cup butter (half stick)
1 vanilla bean

Whisk the sugar, salt and cornstarch in a medium sauce pan. Turn the burner on medium-high (6-7), then whisk in the cream, milk and egg yolks. Split the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds (add to the mixture), then drop the bean husk in and whisk continuously until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla and butter. Remove the bean husk and allow the custard to cool.

Layer bananas, custard, bananas, custard, bananas in the graham cracker crust. Refrigerate at least overnight.

Special Guest Mom-the-meatballer

This weekend, my parents visited to "see the fall colors" - something that is rather hard to do in Florida, where they now live (just so they can always tell me how warm it is there). My mom was kind enough to offer her help as I made 10 pounds of meatballs (which turns into 120 tennis ball size meatballs in case you were wondering) to freeze. Since "Special Guest Mom" was willing, she rolled all the meatballs, freeing me up to make a lovely apple cake (which she also peeled the apples for). So you can thank her for this recipe showing up.

German Apple Cake - Seriously, this cake couldn't really be any easier.
8 apples, peeled and chopped (about 0.75" pieces) rome, granny smith or mc instosh are nice
2 T ground cinnamon
1/4 c sugar (i used vanilla sugar)
3 c flour, sifted
1 T baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 c sugar
1 c canola oil
1/3 c orange juice
1 T vanilla
5 eggs
1 c toasted nuts (optional, of course) - walnuts or pecans would be nice

Preheat the oven to 350F. Generously grease (or use baking spray) on a tube pan, bundt pan or deep baking dish.

Toss the chopped apples with cinnamon and 1/4c sugar in a bowl. Set aside.

In your handy stand mixer, mix the sugar, orange juice, oil, vanilla, eggs and salt. Whisk the flour and baking powder (or sift them together) and add to the wet ingredients in 3 additions, making sure that the batter is well mixed (though, don't over mix - you don't want the flour to toughen up).

Layer apples on the bottom of the pan, 1/2 batter, apples, batter and apples on top. Bake about 1 hour until toothpick comes out clean.

(sorry, I left the picture on the phone I exchanged! will make sure to take one next time!!)

Schwarzwalder Kirschtorte

Or in English, Black Forest Cake.

A black forest cake was suggested for an Octoberfest party that I've been invited to - and I used my German resources to find an authentic recipe. More of a cherry liquor spiked brownie than a cake, filled with cherry liquor flavored butter cream icing and topped with whipped cream, cherries and chocolate - this was a fun one and very easy too. I've made some metric to English conversions (don't you love how we, as metric fearing Americans, the only ones to still use this system - blame the name on someone else?) for your convenience.

Black Forest Cake

Brownie-style cake:
1 cup sugar
8 large eggs
4 oz melted unsweetened chocolate
1 cup flour, sifted twice

Preheat the oven to 350F. Cream the eggs and sugar until fluffy. This takes about 10 min on a medium high speed. Melt the chocolate (microwave is fine, use longer times and less power - you want it melted, not hot) and sift the flour - yes, twice.
Add half of the chocolate, then half of the flour, then the rest of the chocolate and rest of the flour. Pour the batter into 2 prepared (buttered & floured) 9" round pans or 3 8" round pans and bake at 350F for 15 minutes.
Let the cake cool while you prepare the syrup, which will be poured over the cake layers.

Spiked Cherry Syrup:
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water (or cherry juice)
4T cherry kirsch (cherry brandy)

Boil the sugar and water, reducing to a thick syrup. Cool, then stir in the cherry kirsch. Using a toothpick, poke holes in the cake layers and pour the syrup over the cake.

Cherry Buttercream Filling
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter
2T cherry kirsch
1 egg yolk.

Beat the ingredients until a thick, fluffy buttercream forms.

Topping
sweetened whipped cream, spike with a little cherry kirsch
sour cherries
chocolate chips

Assembly:
On bottom layer, spread the buttercream filling and put a layer of sour cherries, if you used the 3 8" pans - repeat with second layer. Place top layer, frost with buttercream (optional), then top with whipped cream, cherries and chocolate.

Enjoy.

Some Specialty Cakes I have made

Hockey stick & pucks, Stick is Coconut Cake, Pucks are 3 ingredient chocolate cake.


Mercedes A-Class Cake, Lemon Cake with Lemon pudding filling.

"Google" Webkinz cake, Coconut Cake Recipe

Grill Out Greats

Wagon Wheel Pasta Salad
1 pkg wagon wheel pasta
1 container "Just the Tomatoes" sundried tomatoes
1 large red onion
2 lg red tomatoes
2 lg yellow tomatoes
1/2 cup loosely packed basil leaves
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 lb baby mozzarella balls
olive oil

2 to 24 hours ahead: dice the tomatoes and onion, mix with a drizzle of olive oil, dash with salt and pepper and refrigerate to draw out the juices.

Cook the pasta until al dente, drain & cool. Toss with tomatoes & onions, cheeses and basil.

We really need to hire some folks with summer birthdays

Interesting.... as the birthdays in my group drop off and the temperatures pick up, the kitchen shuts down (and the grill heats up, for the Friday Grill Outs) at my house. September brings a slew of birthdays and some cooler weather (at least in theory) and new motivation for me. I love fall, I love the fall produce and the cooler temperatures, but not the hayfever......

Anyway, to celebrate some recent birthdays, I revisited German Chocolate Cake (by request) and did several things differently this time - the cake has a rich black color (it isn't soot, I promise) and the filling and ganache are very tasty. Try this one and see what you think.

German Chocolate Cake
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup dutch process cocoa powder (I used the Hershey's Special Dark)
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1/2 cup whole milk
1/3 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg
2 egg yolks
1 T vanilla
1/8 t almond extract
1 cup boiling water

Preheat the oven to 350F. Generously butter two 9" round cake pans.

Sift all dry ingredients together and set aside. Mix the butter, milks, eggs and extracts. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet. Mix in the water last - this will make the batter very thin. Split the batter between the two cake pans and bake at 350F for 25 minutes.

Coconut-Nut Filling
1 can sweetened, condensed milk
2 cups shredded coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts
3 T vanilla

Stir ingredients in a pan over low heat until milk carmelizes

Chocolate Ganache Glaze
1 pkg chocolate chips (Nestle minis melt very well)
1 1/4 cups unsalted butter
3 T light corn syrup
1 t vanilla

Melt butter and chocolate until smooth, stir in vanilla and corn syrup, whisking until smooth. Cool slightly before using.

Summer Soups

Well, I know that summer isn't really the traditional time for soup, but there is a really good reason that I made them anyway. My (really, really awesome) mentor, Stuart, had some oral surgery and wasn't able to eat solid foods, so I wanted to help him out - so I whipped up a couple batches. 5 soups in 4 hours - not bad. So far he seems to like them all (potato is his favorite).

Potato Soup
2 carrots, diced
2 celery ribs, diced
1 large onion, diced
1 1/2 lb baking potatoes, peeled and diced (the word of the day)
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 cups water
2 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill


Broccoli Cheese Soup
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 pounds broccoli, stems and florets separated and diced
1 large onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
61/2 cups chicken stock
1 cup whipping cream
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 cups (packed) grated sharp cheddar cheese


Lentil Soup
1 large onion, peeled & stuck with a whole clove
1 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound lentils
2 carrots, diced
8 cups chicken stock
2 T butter


Corn Chowder
2 cans creamed corn
2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups diced potatoes
3 green onions, chopped
3 pieces country ham, chopped
Salt and pepper

Chilled Cucumber Soup

2 cups cucumber, seeded and diced
4 green onions, chopped
1 cup mayo
1 cup sour cream
Salt & pepper to taste
1T parsley, chopped
2 T fresh dill, chopped
1 cup chicken stock

Back in the swing of things

I am not really sure why, but I think that my recent quarter-life crisis spilled over into the kitchen. It is just a bit strange because normally, I use my kitchen as my own kind of aroma therapy - what smells better than freshly baked bread or coconut custard? Nothing.

However, fear not! with the advent of spring and the planting of my herbs and tomatoes (and some flowers), my spirits are renewed and I've been back enjoying myself in my favorite room in the house. Cookies have been flowing from the oven, new ideas have been knitting themselves together in my head, and I think that I'm ready to get my knives dirty once again.

In the next couple posts, you may notice a shift in my recipes. I'm kind of bored with baking... the problem has always been that it is easy to put baked goods out at work - but I'm not sure how it would go over to have a big pot of stew or a lasagna next to the coffee pot...... Of course since the folks that I work with already think that I'm quite mad, perhaps it will be just fine.

That said, here is the latest dessert to come out of my kitchen (in honor of Eric's birthday):

Coconut Cream Pie
This pie works equally well in a traditional crust or in a graham cracker crust. I used graham crackers because I was short on time (and patience) and in need of a crust.

Crust
You can use the store bought, pre-pressed crusts - or-
1 sleeve graham crackers, crushed
2 T sugar
6 T unsalted butter (3/4 of a stick)

Preheat the oven to 350F. Pulse the crackers and sugar in your food processor or blender until nicely ground. Transfer to a microwave safe bowl, add the butter (I cut mine into 4-6 pieces) and melt in the microwave (a minute or two will do). Stir until the crumbs are the consistency of wet sand, then press into your pie plate and bake at 350F for 10 minutes. Cool completely before filling.

Coconut Cream
1 1/2 cups toasted coconut (toast coconut on a jelly roll or other rimmed pan at 350F for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the coconut is nice and browned - keep a small handful aside for sprinkling on top)
2 1/2 cups of whole milk
1 1/2 t unflavored gelatin
6 T sugar (vanilla sugar is preferable)
3 T cornstarch
3 egg yolks
1 whole egg
3 T unsalted butter
1 T vanilla extract (thank you Keely for teaching me to make my own!! SO much better!)
1/4 t kosher salt
1/2 cup coco real or coco lopez (cream of coconut)

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over 1/2 cup of milk.

In a medium-large sauce pan, whisk together the sugar, salt and cornstarch until well blended. Slowly add the remaining 2 cups of milk, continuously whisking. Whisk in the (pre-scrambled) egg and egg yolks. Move the pan to a burner set on MEDIUM heat (hotter than that and you'll scald the mixture rather than custardize it), stir in the vanilla and butter.

As the mixture begins to thicken, add the milk/gelatin slurry. Bring the custard to a SLOW boil, stirring constantly. It should be thickening nicely now. Remove from heat, still stirring.

Transfer the custard to a large bowl and stir in the coco lopez and toasted coconut. Cover with plastic wrap - you want the plastic to be touching the custard while it cools to avoid skin formation. Cool in the fridge for 30-45 minutes.

Beat the heavy whipping cream until soft, persistent peaks form. Fold into the cooled custard. Transfer the mixture to your cooled, pre-baked crust (either graham or conventional).

Topping
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
3 T sugar (i find that granulated, vanilla sugar works best - but mom swears by powdered)

Whip the cream and sugar until firm peaks form. Top the pie with whipped cream and sprinkle the reserved toasted coconut on top.

Refrigerate until serving. Enjoy!

Red Velvet Cheesecake

An interesting twist on the actual cake..... enjoy.

Red Velvet Cheesecake
--Crust--
2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs
1 stick unsalted butter
1 T sugar
--Cake--
4 (8oz) pkgs cream cheese, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar
5 eggs
3 T cocoa powder
1 cup sour cream (or plain yogurt)
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 T vanilla
1.5 t white vinegar
1oz (1 bottle) red food coloring (or more depending on how deep you want the red)
--Frosting--
1 (8oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar (to taste)

Preheat the oven to 325F. Prepare the crust: Stir melted butter, cookie crumbs and sugar until well mixed. Press mixture to bottom of spring form pan.

Prepare the cake: Using your stand mixer, cream the cream cheese and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Add the sour cream, buttermilk and vanilla. Stir until well combined. Next, add the cocoa powder, the vinegar and the food coloring. Mix well. Pour into prepared spring form pan, bake at 325 for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 300 and bake for 1 hour, until middle of cake is set. Cool on counter until the pan can be held in your hands, then cover and refrigerate (at least 6 hours).

Prepare the frosting: Cream ingredients together, adding sugar to taste. Spread frosting over cooled cake (anytime after it has cooled to room T).

Enjoy!!

Mudpie Brownies

Inspiration for these brownies comes from Mississippi mud pie, though the consistency is a little different and there is no whipped cream topping, still the CHOCOLATE and the drizzled carmel and chocolate topping is there - so it is practically the same thing. These are SUPER easy to make and won't even dirty the pan. Enjoy!

Mississippi Mud Brownies
6 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup unsalted butter (2 1/2 sticks)
1 pkg chocolate chips (use some good ones - I like the Hershey's special dark)
1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 t kosher salt

Place one oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325F. Line your baking pan with aluminum foil and lightly grease with the wrappers from the butter.

Combine the sugar and eggs with the aid of your handy stand mixer. Melt the chocolate and butter (over a water bath or in the microwave works too - 5 minutes on 30% power), once it cools a bit add the chocolate mixture to the eggs (make sure it is cool enough, chocolate scrambled eggs would just be gross). Sift together the flour, cocoa powder and salt, then slowly stir into the chocolate-eggs mixture. Fold in nuts if desired (of course!!) and pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake 35 minutes (exactly) at 325F. Be careful not to over cook the brownies - you want them to be moist and fudgey.

Drizzle with caramel and chocolate sauces and sprinkle nuts if desired. mmm.

Oatmeal Cake

Ah oatmeal...... it has such a homey and breakfast-y image that when I first read (in a 1950 Midwestern Junior League cookbook) about oatmeal cake, I was kind of confused. Who would make a cake out of oatmeal? I mean, I get cookies.... but at first a cake seemed different. Then I thought about oat cakes or scones and thought that I'd update (ie switch out the lard, etc) recipe and change the topping and try it myself - here is how it goes....

Oatmeal Cake
1 cup oats
1 cup boiling water
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar (I used my vanilla sugar)
2 eggs
1/2 cup (1 stick) softened butter
1 t baking soda
1/2 t kosher salt
1 t cinnamon
1 1/2 cups flour

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Pour the boiling water over the oats and let sit for 20 minutes. In the meantime, cream the butter and sugars. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring well between each. Add the salt, baking soda and cinnamon, then when the oatmeal is ready, stir it in. Finally, incorporate the flour. Mix well.

Pour batter into a well greased (buttered) baking dish (2 9" rounds or a 9x13 cake pan) and bake ~40 minutes at 350F.

Topping
I preferred the idea of a jam topping, so I used sour cherry jam with a little bit of pear jam to sweeten it up a bit on one cake, and apricot on the other cake. Essentially, all you need to do is cover the top of the cooked cake with the jam of your choosing (and i sprinkled walnuts on the cherry topping and pistachio on the apricot) and bake for an additional 10 minutes at 350F. Beautiful.

Oatmeal Bars

Why does every oatmeal cookie or bar recipe call for raisins? I hate raisins. Except for those candy ones (also called whiskey candy up north, which may be why I like it). Therefore, it remains my mission in my cooking life to obliterate raisins from recipes. That makes me happy.

Oatmeal Bars
4 cups oats
2 cups flour (I used 1 1/2 cups flour with 1/2 cup of oat bran)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 t baking soda
1 t kosher salt
1 1/2 cups melted butter
1/2 cup maple syrup (honey would work as well)

Filling: 3 cups dried cherries/cranberries mix, 2 T lemon juice, 1 cup water.

Preheat the oven to 350F.

In a medium sauce pan, bring the fruit and lemon juice to a boil in 1 cup of water. Reduce heat and simmer for 4-5 minutes. Set aside to cool, then strain and blend to jam-like consistency.

In your stand mixer (or by hand... but why?) mix the oats, flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, maple syrup and melted butter.

Spray a baking pan (smaller means thicker bars) with non stick spray, then press half of the oat mixture into the pan. Spread the fruit filling evenly across the oat mix, then top with the other half.

Bake at 350F for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Say yes to yeast rolls... sticky buns and cinnamon rolls

Keely set me off onto this sticky pathway with a link to a blog post of making sticky buns out of a no-knead bread. That made me think..... what else can you turn into a sticky bun? So I have set out to test a few things and along the way make caramel pecan rolls, cinnamon buns and maple pecan rolls. Lets get to it:

Yeast Roll Dough
1 1/2 cups warm water (careful with the water temp - don't want to kill the yeasties)
3 packets (1.5 oz) instant yeast
2/3 cup sugar source (honey, maple syrup, molasses, syrupy fruit juice)
4 eggs, beaten
2 T kosher salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted (if you use salted butter, cut back on the kosher salt)
6-7 cups of all purpose flour

Dissolve the sugar source in the warm water, and add the yeast (to prove). Let it sit for a few minutes until it becomes frothy (so that you know the yeast is alive). Cream the butter, eggs and salt, then add the frothy yeast mixture. Slowly stir (using your handy stand mixer and your dough hook) in the flour, mixing well. Mix until all flour is incorporated before adding more. Somewhere between 6 and 7 cups of flour will be the right consistency (aka not too wet, not too dry) depending.... keep adding flour by the half cup once you get to 6 cups - until things look just right. (If you have to go past 7 cups, what can you do? just add what you need to get a nice dough)

Transfer the dough to a large bowl (with some excess room for growth) and cover with plastic wrap. Store the dough in the fridge for a couple days (2-3 is optimal) before making rolls.

Filling
1/2 cup (1 stick butter)
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
optional: maple syrup, cinnamon, nuts, raisins (ick), etc

Melt butter over brown sugar, stirring well. Roll out half of dough mixture (at a time), into a long rectangular shape. Spread with filling, roll into a cylinder, slice into 1/2" rounds. Spread additional filling on top, if desired.

Bake rolls at 350F (in preheated oven) for 35-45 minutes (depending on how big you have made the rounds) - keep an eye on them, you want to pull them out once they reach golden brown.

I topped the cinnamon rolls (4 t cinnamon added to filling) with cream cheese icing and topped the maple-walnut sticky buns with caramelized sugar/maple syrup and some additional nuts.

Key Lime Pie

The very first time that I ever had key lime pie was at my then best friend Bridget's house. Her mom pulled out these funny little limes and told use to start squeezing them into a bowl topped with a strainer. It was odd, because her mom was a teacher, and not really prone to cooking - typically her desserts were purchased and consisted of some form of Cool Whip, so the lime squeezing was a bit out of character.

However, she told us that the only key lime pie worth having was with a Nilla wafer crust (i like it just fine with graham crackers too) and REAL key lime juice (which, though I'd love to squeeze my own limes - some times you just have to buy bottled juice).

Anyway, fast forward several (ok, ok many) years, and in my own kitchen, the sweet-tart smell of baking key lime pie reminds me of Grade 6 (both the good and the bad... I wonder what ever happened to Kenny? why did I want to shave my legs so desperately? ooo that George Michael and his naughty song!) and how delicious little limes can be.

Key Lime Pie
First off, it is best to prepare your pie crust - whether using crushed graham crackers or nilla wafers, mix 3 cups of crushed cookies with 1/2 cup melted butter, and press into a pie pan. Or, you can use one of those pre-made crusts - at your own risk (it is your funeral if you don't at least buy the Keebler one). Then go ahead and preheat the oven to 350F.

6 egg yolks (save the whites for making the meringue)
2 cans (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1-2 (use up to 2) cups key lime juice (you can use less if it is fresh, more if it is not)

Blend the ingredients until smooth, pour into pie shell and bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes. Allow to stand 15 minutes before going into the fridge.

I think it should be topped with a nice meringue, but you could always use whipped cream (or even that other stuff) as well. Mmmmm. Thanks Bridget! I hope that things are well with you! (And that you no longer have that perm)

The Thanksgiving Aftermath

Well, the Thanksgiving cooking that SGS and I did turned out FANTASTIC.... though, we were so enamored of our cooking, that we sampled continuously... which meant that we went straight from cooking to packing up the leftovers without the customary sit down dinner. Whatever, it was perfect. The highlights include our delicious cranberry sauce and SGS's creamy pumpkin pie. Seriously. Best. Pie. Ever.

Thankfully, she left the recipe on the fridge for me to post and keep forever. Way to go SG Susan, this one was a winner. And it was so much fun cooking with her, that I'd be happy to welcome her back on the special Thanksgiving edition of Cooking with Andrea every year. =)

Special Guest Susan's Amazing Pumpkin Pie
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 cups canned solid pack pumpkin
4 tablespoons maple syrup
3 large eggs
1 cup whipping cream
1 purchased frozen 9-inch pie crust (or you can use my pie crust recipe!!!!)

Place baking sheet in oven and preheat to 450°F.

Whisk first 8 ingredients together in large bowl to blend. Whisk in pumpkin, molasses and eggs, then cream. Pour mixture into prepared crust.

Place pie on preheated baking sheet in oven. Bake 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 325°F and bake until sides puff and center is just set, about 40 minutes. Cool. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and re-frigerate.) Serve at room temperature.

Thanksgiving Traditions

The credit for these recipes goes 100% to SGSusan, who had to get them from mom (who often uses amounts such as "some" or "a can" - which are NOT helpful!!!) Maybe, for her efforts, I'll let her break TWO eggs as we make Thanksgiving dinner on Cooking with Andrea. MAYBE.

Broccoli Supreme
Ok, this recipe violates about every food conviction that I have come to have over my adult life, but tradition is tradition, so I'll cover my eyes and use the Cheez Whiz.
1/2 c long grain rice, cooked and drained

2 boxes (or 1 bag) frozen broccoli

1 can water chestnuts drained

1 8oz jar cheez whiz (or 8oz of substitute cheesy fakeness of some other variety)

1 can cream of chicken soup

Preheat the oven to 350F. Generously butter a large casserole dish (mom likes to use the oval corning ware....).

Layer the dish with broccoli, water chestnuts, rice, then fake cheese product. Bake 30-40 minutes at 350F until a light brown 'cheese' crust forms.

Mom's Turkey Stuffing
4 T butter
1/2 an onion, diced (or use a small one)
3 stalks of celery, diced
1 package brownberry onion and sage bread stuffing (which you can not purchase in the south, so pepperidge farm will have to do - but brownberry is superior)
1 egg, beaten
1 can of mushrooms, drained
1 1/2 cups chicken broth (edit this accordingly, you need some moisture in the stuffing, but don't want it to be too wet)
1 cup swiss cheese, cubed
1/2 cup slivered almonds

Saute onions and celery in butter until they are soft. Combine all ingredients in a bowl, then stuff turkey. Alternatively, if you hate turkey (like I do....), cook in an oven safe dish for 30-40 minutes at 350F.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Gingerbread Cake

A couple days ago, I received my December Bon Appetit magazine. This issue has SO many amazing recipes that I'd like to try. The first one up was the "Gingerbread Pudding Cake" that is in the letters section of the magazine. It looked simple, I had all the ingredients and one of my colleagues had a birthday today - so the fates declared it was time to bake the cake.

After reading over the recipe several times, and deciding that I needed to double it to make a 9x13" pan rather than an 8" square pan's worth - I also made some adjustments to the recipe on the fly - as I was putting things together. This recipe here reflects those changes.

Gooey Gingerbread Cake
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
3 cups all purpose flour
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t ground cloves
1/2 t allspice
1 t ginger
1/2 t nutmeg
1/2 t kosher salt
1 t baking soda
1 egg
3/4 cup molasses dissolved in 1 cup warm water

Topping
1 cup brown sugar
10 T (1 stick + 2T) unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 350F. Generously butter a 9"x13" cake pan.

With stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the egg and continue beating. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda and spices. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in 2-3 additions, alternating with the diluted molasses.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, then evenly sprinkle the brown sugar over the top of the batter. Pour the melted butter over the sugar (it will likely dissolve in).

Bake for 45 minutes at 350F.

Tarte Tatin

Here is a twist on the regular ol' apple pie that we all know and love. Inspired by Top Chef contestants (who were always doing a twist on a tarte tatin - Casey most recently), this is my take on the French Classic. I am probably cheating (like they did on the show) by using a pre-prepared puff pastry sheet, but even *I* am not that crazy. Puff Pastry is HARD to make. I doubt you'll ever see a croissant recipe from me either......

Tart Tatin
3 medium sized Granny Smith Apples
3 medium sized Golden Delicious Apples
1 sheet puff pastry (I used the Pepperidge Farm)
1 cup sugar (I used my vanilla sugar)
1/4 cup water
4 T butter
3 t apple cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 350F. Roll out the puff pastry to fit the pie pan. LEARN from my mistake.... be sure to spray the pan with non-stick spray or butter it.... oops, it was a bit tough to get out. Press pastry into BUTTERED pie pan.

Slice the apples into quarters, then thin wedges. Set aside for a moment.

In a small sauce pan, carmelize the sugar (and water). When the sugar is at the right consistency, remove from heat and stir in the vinegar and the butter. 'Wilt' the apples in the hot caramel sauce, then arrange them (in lovely concentric circles) in the puff pastry lined pie pan. (Wilting will reduce pie baking time and make the apples pliable.) Baste the apples with some of the caramel sauce, then bake at 350F for ~20 minutes or until pastry has cooked and apples are at desired consistency.

Its the Great Pumpkin Cake, Charlie Brown

Recently my friend Kathy suggested a way to make a really cool pumpkin cake using a bundt pan and some cupcakes. I have been super eager to try this - and I think I have found a recipe that will be great in the pumpkin. I worked on this recipe today to take to Lola's for pumpkin carving - and I think it came out fantastic. Now, I just need to figure out a recipient for the pumpkin cake....

Pumpkin Cake (inspired by Pumpkin Honey Cake, epicurious.com)
2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
3 t baking powder
3 t pumpkin pie spice
1/2 t kosher salt
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 sour cream (greek yogurt or plain yogurt would work)
1/2 cup honey
1 T vanilla
3/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar (I used my vanilla sugar)
3 eggs

Preheat oven to 350F. Generously butter 2 8" round cake pans (or whatever cake pan you choose to use), set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar. Add the honey, sour cream, and eggs one at a time. Stir in the pumpkin and vanilla. Add the pumpkin pie spice. Sift the flour and baking powder into the batter, stirring to combine.

Pour batter evenly into prepared cake pans, bake at 350F for 40-45 minutes, until the cake passes the toothpick test.

Pumpkin Frosting Spread
2 8oz packages of cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup pumpkin
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup honey
1/2 t pumpkin pie spice
1 cup powdered sugar (perhaps more to fit the taste/consistency that you are looking for)

Blend ingredients in your handy stand mixer until smooth. Spread on cooled cake.

Whipped Cream Cake

I recently rediscovered the beauty of the Settlement Cookbook, a book that my 'show' relied upon heavily back in the day. It is an excellent source of many simple, yet tasty recipes. Many of my early recipes were developed from old standards in this book. My mom owned the 1976 version, but gifted me with this version several years back. Interestingly, she didn't give me this version, which I am sure would have taught me to make cinnamon buns, of course landing me a man. ;-)

The other night, when looking for a cake recipe, and overcome by laziness (translation: I didn't want to have to go to the store) - I searched through several issues of Bon Appetit and Gourmet, and several of my cookbooks (Joy of Cooking, Bon Appetit, Martha Stewart) and found a lot of great chocolate cake recipes (I've done a lot of chocolate recently - and needed a break) or lots of exotic cake recipes, but nothing jumped out. (Ok, so I spent way more time looking for a recipe than a trip to the store would have taken....) As I was putting Martha back on the shelf, I noticed the Settlement book looking all lonely (dusty), and figured it was worth a peek. I found several recipes that called for few ingredients and sounded very nice. Of course, I couldn't leave well enough alone and had to adjust things the way that I thought they should be - but A) I got a tasty cake out of it and B) I didn't have to run out to Kroger.

The frosting for the cake was completely made up on the fly, so what I post here is approximate - you'll have to adjust things to your taste - as you should with ALL recipes.

Whipped Cream Cake (modified from the Settlement Cookbook)
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup sugar (I used vanilla sugar)
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
1 1/2 t lemon oil/extract
1 1/2 cups cake flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt

Preheat the oven to 350F. Generously butter two 8" round cake pans (or whatever you are going to use).

Whip the cream and sugar until it thickens, in a separate bowl, beat the eggs, vanilla and lemon extracts. Fold the egg mix into the whipped cream. Sift the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and stir until combined - be careful not to over-beat. Pour into the prepared cake pans and bake for 30 minutes, or until it passes the toothpick test.

Frost when completely cool.

You can use just about any frosting you want for this cake - but I made a "lemon cheesecake" frosting by doing a slight twist on one of my nana's frosting recipes.

Lemon Cheesecake Frosting
1 pckg cheesecake pudding (prepare according to package directions)
1 cup whipped cream
1 cup sugar
1 8oz package cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
2 t lemon oil/extract

Blend together butter, cream cheese and sugar. Set aside. Whip the cream until fluffy. When pudding is about room T, blend with the cream cheese frosting and extract, then fold the resultant mixture into the whipped cream. This frosting has a very smooth texture and a really nice taste.

Three Ingredient Chocolate Cake

Well, I wouldn't have believed it. When I read the recipe, I didn't believe it, but I figured I'd give it a shot anyway. I had to tweak the amounts a bit - the chocolate didn't look smooth and the eggs I had seemed small..... but it WORKED. And folks think it is delicious. And it is SO EASY.

Three Ingredient Chocolate Cake
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
16 oz semisweet baking chocolate (I used a 70% cacao with a hint of mint)
6 eggs

Preheat the oven to 375F, butter a springform pan and use a parchment paper round (precut, or cut one yourself) on the bottom.

Melt the chocolate and butter together in a bowl above a pot of hot water (it can be boiling, but don't let the bowl touch the water) - make sure the mixture is smooth. (I had to up the amount of butter because the chocolate mixture wasn't smooth enough - or thin enough to blend with the eggs.)

In your handy stand mixer (this recipe would not be possible without my beloved KitchenAid), whip the (whole) eggs with 3/4t of salt until the mixture quadruples in volume. Think whole egg "meringue" consistency.

Fold the chocolate mixture into the eggs, slowly so as not to deflate the eggs.

Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan, bake for 20 min at 375F. The middle will still be moist when you pull it from the oven, but will finish cooking as it cools. The cake will deflate some if you don't serve it immediately, but it is delicious, with an excellent consistency. Enjoy. I dusted mine with powdered sugar, you can be more creative with your topping.

Recipe Index

The recipe index, on the right, is an alphabetical listing of all the recipes that I have posted. The stars at the top, are from MY ratings of the dish, as requested by SGS. So if you want only 5 star recipes, you can click on the ***** and only the ones that I think are 'perfect' will pop up.
=)