Pumpkin Chocolate Tart

Dear Friends and Readers,

It's that time of year again.  The one where we work like mad cleaning our houses, cook and bake for days, open our doors and welcome loved ones into our homes.   It's so easy this time of year to get busy and stressed out, caught up in those black Friday ads, and forget why we sit down and celebrate this holiday.  So, here's a little education for you, courtesy of National Geographic.  

During the fall of 1621, four settlers were sent to hunt for food for a harvest celebration. The Wampanoag heard gunshots and alerted their leader, Massasoit, who thought the English might be preparing for war. Massasoit visited the English settlement with 90 of his men to see if the war rumor was true. Soon after their visit, the Native Americans realized that the English were only hunting for the harvest celebration. Massasoit sent some of his own men to hunt deer for the feast and for three days, the English and native men, women, and children ate together. The meal consisted of deer, corn, shellfish, and roasted meat, far from today's traditional Thanksgiving feast.

They played ball games, sang, and danced. Much of what most modern Americans eat on Thanksgiving was not available in 1621.

Although prayers and thanks were probably offered at the 1621 harvest gathering, the first recorded religious Thanksgiving Day in Plymouth happened two years later in 1623. On this occasion, the colonists gave thanks to God for rain after a two-month drought.

I cannot imagine the living conditions back then.  Life could not have been easy for the pilgrims.  Put yourself in their shoes.  A group of people who left their home, watched others die on the long ocean journey, only to lose even more of them after reaching their destination.  Then to find themselves living in a new place, alone, having to build a new life.  How scary it must have been.  Yet, they had neighbors.  The first real residents of the United States.  Native American Indians taught them, helped put food on their table, hunted with them, and in some instances, protected them.  We should all be so lucky to have neighbors like that.

So, this year, forget the stress, and welcome others not only into your home, but into your heart.  Give thanks for your blessings, and remember how it all started, making this a truly "American" holiday. 

Wishing you a Happy Turkey Day, 

Jaime 

Ingredients
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
3/4 cup firmly packed light-brown sugar
1 cup heavy cream
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup Ghiradelli 60% Cacao chips

Crust
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup Ghiradelli unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg
1/4 cup Ghiradelli 60% Cacao chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flour, sugar, cocoa, salt, cinnamon, and cloves. Add butter; mix on low speed until butter is the size of small peas, about 5 minutes. Add egg; mix until ingredients come together to form a dough.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to just thicker than 1/8 inch. Transfer dough to a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press dough into bottom and up sides of pan; trim excess flush with edge. Lightly prick bottom of dough all over with a fork. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
Bake shell until firm, about 15 minutes. Immediately sprinkle chocolate over bottom of shell; smooth with a spatula.

While the crust is baking, in a medium bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, brown sugar, heavy cream, eggs, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, and cloves until smooth. Pour filling into prepared crust.

Bake until set, about 40 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool at least 30 minutes.

Set a heatproof bowl, or the top of a double boiler, over a pan of barely simmering water. Melt chocolate in bowl, stirring occasionally; remove from heat. Dip a spoon in melted chocolate, then drizzle chocolate over tart, forming decorative stripes. Refrigerate until well set, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Oh, Sweet Mother!  Where has this dish been all of my life?  I am a hot wing junkie.  While I was pregnant with my son, I couldn't get anything spicy enough.  Everything was dredged in hot sauce.  In fact, on more than one occasion, I was caught drinking it.  Yeah, I know.  What can I say?  I was pregnant!  

Anyhow, this morning I was chatting with a friend on facebook who turned me on to the recipe.  Ashley, you are a woman after my own heart.  She sent me two recipes for it, and of course being me, I had to tweak them a bit.  Normally I would never tweak a recipe I've never tried before.  However, my awesome husband is the king of making grilled chicken wings, and I had to get his input.  Yeah, baby!  Added some garlic powder to the mix, butter, a little soy sauce and a spoonful of sugar to give it just a hint of sweet, and wowzers!  One of the best hot dips I've ever made.

Get thyself to the grocery store!  It's tailgate time.
The Packers are on tonight, and it's time for some football and fall.  
Buffalo Chicken Dip

4- boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, boiled and shredded 

1- 12 oz. bottle of Franks hot sauce
2- 8 oz. packages of cream cheese
1- 16 oz. bottle of ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack

1 tsp garlic powder

1 TB brown sugar

2 dashes soy sauce

3 TB unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium size saucepan, combine the hot sauce, garlic powder, brown sugar, soy sauce and butter.  Heat over medium-high. Whisk together until butter is melted.  Add the chicken and spread in a 9×13-inch baking dish.

In a medium size saucepan, combine the cream cheese and the ranch dressing over low heat whisking until the cream cheese is completely melted and smooth. Pour the mixture evenly over the chicken. Then sprinkle the cheese on top.

4. Bake uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. 

Blackberry Ice Cream

Recently my darling niece-in-law celebrated her birthday.  In my world, birthday's are all about indulgence.  It should be a day that you get to do whatever you want to do.  Sarah had to work on her birthday.  Not only that, but since she is a police officer, she is currently patrolling on the night shift.  Not a very good way to celebrate the gift we call life.  So, on her day off, I decided to make her dinner, a birthday cake and ice cream.  When asked what she would like, blackberry ice cream was her request.


A few months ago I picked up my new Kitchen-aid mixer.  It came with an ice cream freezer, and I'll admit, I was intimidated.  I love ice cream, frozen custard, frozen yogurt, but have never attempted to make any of these delicious treats.  So, I searched out several recipes, researched, and learned about the fundamental differences between frozen custard and ice cream.  Frozen custard is a cooked egg base, whereas ice cream is predominately heavy cream and half and half.  I made both, and am pleased with the way both turned out.  The frozen custard is admittedly more difficult to make.  If you have never made a custard in any form, it is definitely not the way to start.  However, this recipe for ice cream is delicious and so easy to make.  When you purchase your ingredients, look at the labels on the heavy cream.   You want the higher fat content in order to have a creamy texture.

Summer is all about fun.  When I watch my son eating an ice cream cone after a tough day of playing, I can remember what it was like to be his age.  I hope you all enjoy this recipe, and that you too remember this simple joy of childhood...

Blackberry Ice Cream

Puree:
3 C fresh blackberries

1/4 C granulated sugar

Cream base:
3/4 C granulated sugar
2 C heavy cream
1/2 TB vanilla extract


Puree the blackberries and sugar using a food processor or immersion blender. Press the blackberries through a sieve (you will need to scrape and press often, as the seeds will clog up the sieve) Set aside. Mix the sugar and vanilla with 1 cup of the cream in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved. Pour in a large bowl.  Add the remaining cream and the puree, mix well.  Chill thoroughly and then freeze according to the directions on your ice cream maker.  Put the ice cream in a freezer proof container, and place in the freezer for 2 hours to firm up.


Enjoy!

Blackberry Hand Pie

I love this time of year!  My garden is starting to produce, the stores are getting all sorts of beautiful fresh produce, and my oh my, it's almost July!  I know, what is more American than Apple Pie?  Well, these little hand pies are at least good practice for those Apple pies we make on the 4th.  Blackberries are in season, and oh, somebody should write poetry about them.  Blackberries and I have a not so secret love affair.  Mixed with strawberries for shortcake, blackberry martini's, blackberry swirl ice cream, and of course, blackberry pie.  I must confess it to the world!  I love blackberries.  This summer I plan to put in a large row of bushes.  I'm already picturing the pretty little jars of jam safely tucked away for winter use.  

Blackberry hand pies are a wonderful treat.  So much better than those little Hostess pies that we couldn't resist as kids.  The dough for these is so rich and flaky, and the sweetness of the filling is amazing.  The pastry dough is a sturdy, versatile one which would stand up to any number of pie fillings.  In a few weeks when peaches are in season, you can bet that I'll be making these again.  

I won't lie, this is a slightly labor intensive process.  You have to chill the dough several times before it goes into the oven.  However the end result is superb.  I would also suggest that after you mix your filling, allow it to stand for awhile and then strain the excess juices.  This will help with the whole "soggy crust" issue that can happen with extra juicy berries.  

Everyone enjoy this one!

Blackberry Hand Pies 

Egg Wash

2 egg yolks

1/2 Cup water

Filling

4 Cups Blackberries

1 Cup sugar

1/4 Cup cornstarch

1/4 tsp almond extract

Mix all berries with sugar, cornstarch and extract until the berries no longer have any white from the sugar or cornstarch.  Strain the excess juices before filling pies.

Pie Dough

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup ice water

In a large bowl, whisk together flour and salt.  Using a pastry cutter, cut butter into the flour, until it is in small pieces, the mixture will slightly resemble cornmeal.  Work quickly, so that the butter does not get too soft. 

In a small bowl, whisk together ice water and sour cream.  Create a well in the flour/butter mixture, and add half of the water/sour cream mixture and mix with the flour.  Add the rest of the mixture.  The dough should come together into large sticky lumps.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and form two balls.  Wrap each ball into saran wrap, and flatten into disks.  Refrigerate for 1 hour.


Roll dough out onto a lightly floured surface until 1/4 inch thick.  Use a large circle cutter, (I used a margarita glass) to cut circles for the pies.  Quickly move the circles onto a parchment lined pan, and place in the freezer for 15 minutes or until very chilled.


Remove circles from freezer, allow to stand until just pliable.  Working quickly, put a few tablespoons of filling in each circle, fold the dough over, and press edges together with a fork to seal.  Return the pies to the freezer, and chill for another 30 minutes.  


Preheat oven to 375.  


Brush pies with egg wash, and sprinkle with sugar.  Cut three small slits into the tops of the pies.  Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until golden brown.


Enjoy!

Leftover Cookies

Sometimes I amaze myself.  I've been rummaging through the baking supply cupboard, taking inventory and rotating my stock.  I realized I have alot of half packages of things.  Leftover chips, nuts, dried fruits, shortening, you name it.  So the use or purge begins.  I'd rather use what I can.  So, I made cookies.  I had some leftover white chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, chopped pecans, and crisco butter sticks.  Well, cookies here I come.  I didn't think these would be anything special, but, damn.  Sometimes I amaze myself.  Some of the best things I have made happened by sheer accident.  These cookies are the bomb.  I ain't just whistling dixie.  Clean out your cabinet and make these, pronto!  Extra bonus: cleaner cabinet, happy kids, happy husband.

Leftover Cookies
Makes 24

3/4 stick Crisco Stick, butter flavor
1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 package Ghiradelli white chocolate chips
3/4 package Ghiradelli 60 percent cacao bittersweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 375.  


In a medium bowl, whisk flour, salt and baking soda.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix Crisco, milk, vanilla and brown sugar on medium speed until well combined.  Add the egg, and mix until combined.  Slowly add the flour mixture.  Beat until combined.  


Stir in white chocolate, dark chocolate and pecans.  


Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto pan (about 2 TB each), and bake for 11 minutes.  Allow to cool on pan for 5 minutes, and them move to cooling rack.


Enjoy!

Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake

Spring is starting to slowly melt into summer here in the Midwest.  I don't know about you, but I mark the start of summer as Memorial Day weekend.  School is out, the leaves are on the trees, flowers are starting to bloom, and the tomato plants have blossoms.  Yes, I have my garden in, the veggies are growing, and we're making our summer plans.  Memorial Day weekend is when my family organizes our lives.  We do those mundane chores that we avoid, sit down with the calendar to plan out our summer, decide where we're going, who we are going to entertain.  We also have a big cookout with friends and family.


Since Noah handles the grill and the smoker, I'm in charge of prep, sides and dessert.  The rhubarb plants are huge right now, and ripe for picking.  I never liked rhubarb as a kid, but wow, as an adult I can't get enough of it!  Rhubarb pie, strawberry rhubarb crisp, and my personal favorite, rhubarb upside-down cake.  While cruising the "Martha-verse" a few years ago, I ran across this recipe and was smitten.  I love upside-down cakes.  This one is amazing, and so delicious.  I hope my readers enjoy this cake as much as I do, and that it's a smash hit for your Memorial Day BBQ.


Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake
recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Living

Ingredients

For The Topping

3 tablespoons salted butter, melted
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar

For The Cake

1 1/2 sticks salted butter, room temperature, plus more for buttering pan
1 pound rhubarb, trimmed and cut on a very sharp diagonal about 1/2 inch thick
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest

2 tablespoon fresh orange juice
2 large eggs
1 cup sour cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the topping: Stir together butter, flour, sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until moist and crumbly.

Make the cake: Butter a 9-inch round cake pan (2 inches deep). Dot with 4 tablespoons butter (cut into pieces). Toss rhubarb with 3/4 cup sugar; let stand for 2 minutes. Toss again, and spread in pan.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Beat remaining stick butter and cup sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Beat in zest and juice. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl. Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with sour cream, until smooth. Spread evenly over rhubarb. Crumble topping evenly over batter.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and top springs back when touched, about 1 hour. Let cool for 10 minutes. Run a knife around edge of cake, and invert onto a wire rack. Let cool completely.

Buttercream Frosting

Happy Birthday to my Great Niece Reese!  Today you turn 2 years old.  You are loved so much, little one!  

In honor of Reese's birthday, her parents have planned a Dora the Explorer party for her.  In our family, I am the resident cake baker.  So, a little Dora cake was needed.  I've noticed that alot of people have no idea how to make buttercream frosting.  A good buttercream is versatile enough to frost cakes, make roses, or top your favorite cupcakes.  Here's an excellent recipe for buttercream frosting.  Hope you all enjoy your day as much as Reese will.


Keep in mind that true buttercream is not white, but is off-white in color.  


Buttercream Frosting


4 sticks salted butter
4 butter flavor Crisco sticks
4 pounds GH powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
2 TB meringue powder


In a large mixer, combine butter and crisco.  Mix to blend.  Add vanilla and almond extracts, mix well. Mix in 1/4 of the powdered sugar.  Slowly add in the rest of the powdered sugar, and mix on medium speed until combined.  


Makes enough to frost, fill and decorate 1 9 inch double layer cake, or 1 Dora the Explorer cake for Reese.

Chicago Deep Dish Pizza

First of all, it's my birthday.  My 6th 29th birthday to be exact.  Somehow, I have ended up baking another batch of Mexican brownies, chocolate chunk cookies, and have been conned by my four year old son into making pizza's for supper.  Um, I don't think I'm supposed to be doing this much work on my birthday.  Not to mention that I just cleaned out the fridge, scrubbed it squeaky clean, and got on my hands and knees to vacuum the coils.  What's wrong with this picture?  At least I didn't have to bake my own cake.  Thank you Coldstone Creamery.  I totally have to cash in that free sundae coup that they sent me for my birthday.  Maybe when I come out of the sugar coma that I'll be in for the next week after all this junk food.

So, seriously, deep dish pizza.  Being from the Midwest, I grew up making frequent trips into Chicago.  Whether it was with friends, my parents or visiting family, there was usually deep dish pizza involved.  Really, the whole contest of New York vs Chicago is just ridiculous.  Deep dish is a meal.  Deep dish is King.  When it's made right, the outside of the dough is crispy, the inside is chewy, and for the love of all that is holy, it should be oozing Wisconsin cheese.  Happy Cows are not from California.  They live in the pasture around the corner from my house.  Really, if you have never been to Chicago for pizza, get your ass in gear and head to Gino's East, or the original Pizzeria Uno, or any other good dive with awesome pizza.  Does anyone know of a good dive?  Seriously, I'm always looking to broaden my pizza horizons.  Post a comment and let me know the where, when and awesomeness of said dive.  Until then, give this recipe a try.  I guarantee you'll dig it.


Also, thanks to all my peeps who have bombarded me with calls, FB messages, loot and e-mails with all those birthday wishes.  I'm blessed.  Either that or you just love me for my mad cooking skills.  Either way, I'm grateful for each and every one of you.


Chicago Deep Dish Pizza


Dough recipe adapted from Emeril Lagasse


Dough

11/2 cups warm water (about 110 degrees F)
1 (1/4-ounce) packages active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup vegetable oil, plus 2 teaspoons to grease bowl
1 teaspoon salt


In a large bowl, combine the water, yeast, and sugar and stir to combine. Let sit until the mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes.

Add 2 cups of the flour, 1/2 cup of the oil, and the salt, mixing by hand until it is all incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Continue adding the flour, 1/4 cup at a time, working the dough after each addition, until all the flour is incorporated but the dough is still slightly sticky.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth but still slightly tacky, 3 to 5 minutes. Oil a large mixing bowl with the remaining 2 teaspoons oil.

Place the dough in the bowl and turn to oil all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set in a warm, draft-free place until nearly doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Divide dough into 2 equal portions.  Press the dough into a 9 inch round pan, pressing dough up the sides of the pan.  Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes.  


Sauce
1 15 oz can Red Gold crushed tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic, pressed
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp granulated onion
1 tsp Penzey's fines herbs
splash of red wine


Combine all ingredients and mix well


Pizza
1 dough recipe, divided and pressed into pans
1 sauce recipe, divided
4 cups shredded mozzerella cheese
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
pepperoni or sausage
additional favorite toppings

In each pan, over the dough layer 1 cup of cheese, meat topping, additional favorite toppings, and then 1 cup of cheese


Top pizza's with sauce, covering to the edges.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Bake at 475 for 30 minutes.  Allow pizza to rest for 10 minutes after removing from the oven.  Run a knife around the edges, move to a large cutting board, and cut into slices. 


Enjoy!

Mexican Brownies & Vanilla Whipped Cream

Cinco de Mayo. Yup. I'm doing what we should all be doing today. Embracing the culture, my kinda, sorta roots, drinking tequilla, and eating Mexican food. There's a worm with my name on it, so without further ado...

Mexican Brownies

2 sticks unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2/3 cup good-quality unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground Mexican cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon or cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with non-stick tinfoil or parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides. Press the paper into the corners of the pan and lightly grease the paper with butter.


Melt the 2 sticks of butter over medium-low heat; do not boil. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Add the sugar, eggs and vanilla to the saucepan and stir with a wooden spoon until combined.


Add the cocoa, flour, cinnamon, cayenne, salt and baking powder and mix until smooth. Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out fudgy, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan on a rack, then use the parchment paper to lift out the brownies before slicing.

Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 vanilla bean, scraped

3 tablespoons powdered sugar

Mix ingredients on medium speed until soft peaks form.  Chill and serve.

Easter Ham

Easter ham.  That's all I can think about.  My Mom's Easter ham.  Yeah, I know. Easter should be about jellybeans and chocolate bunnies.  Oh, don't even get me started on the whole bunnies leaving eggs thing.  Here's the deal.  I like Easter.  I love putting on an egg hunt for our friends and family every year.  I enjoy breaking bread with my family for the holiday.  The simple fact is, I'm selfish.  It's all a means to an end.  That end is my Mom's Easter ham.  Everyone in the family starts salivating for it the day after Christmas.  It's just that good.  My sister and I know how to make it, but the truth is, nobody makes it like Mom.  Oh, and the gravy!  Have you every had ham gravy?  I would bet you that only a few of you have.  Most people are shocked when I talk about the ham gravy.  Sort of sweet from the brown sugar, savory from the ham.  Oh, it's like a heavenly little party in your mouth.

Last year I begged Mommy dearest to write down her ham recipe.  I was informed that it's not a recipe, it's just done, it's eyeballed.  Well, I get it.  I make lots of things the same way.  You just know it by look and taste.  I begged some more.  Frankly, I begged for years.  Finally, she succumbed.  Mom wrote it down as she made it.  I'm sharing it with you, dear readers.  The only problem is that no matter how good any of us get at making it, it will never be the same as hers.  Maybe it's the love.

Mom's Easter Ham

1 - 22 Pound Hillshire ham (yes, you'll need a big one.  LEFTOVERS!)

6 C water

1 Can ginger ale

1 Can 7-up

1 can pineapple slices

1 small jar maraschino cherries

whole cloves

1 jars Heinz Homestyle Pork Gravy

4 TB brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 

Place ham in a large pan with the water.  Bake, covered with foil for 2 1/2 hours.  While baking, mix 1/4 C of the juice from the pineapple slices with with brown sugar, adding more sugar as needed until it is thick.  Remove the ham from the oven.  Score the top, lay the pineapple slices on the ham.  Spoon the glaze over the the slices and the rest of the ham.  Place cherries in the center of each pineapple slice.  Stud ham with whole cloves.  To the pan, add the rest of the pineapple juice, 7-up, ginger ale and the gravy.  Mix slightly, cover ham, bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Remove the foil from the ham, bake for an additional 45 minutes in order to brown the ham.  Add more water to the pan if needed.  

Remove ham from oven, tent with foil and allow to stand for 15 to 30 minutes before carving.

Enjoy!

Oh, and don't forget to use those fabulous drippings to make the most incredible ham gravy you will ever taste!

New Kitchen-Aid, No Vanilla and Baking Powder Biscuits

Life has been a little busy for the last couple of weeks.  My Mom was expecting alot of company, so being the amazing daughter I am (don't laugh!), I thought I'd be helpful by making sure she had lots of baked goods in the house.  Plans were made for me to make yet another large batch of Strawberry Muffins (which I am officially tired of making), coffee cake, cookies and cheese straws.  The first thing I did was start the dough for the coffee cake.  Part way through the kneading process, my faithful Kitchen-Aid mixer gave a nasty sound, and quit working.  Not only did the motor get hotter than sin, but if met with any resistance, the spinning mechanism that causes it to whip, beat or knead wouldn't work.  Thank God my kids were not inside the house for the string of expletives that came out of my mouth!  I mean, that's not supposed to happen with those mixers.  Especially when I have a million things to do.  So, after searching through storage, I found my old hand beaters, and mixed up everything else that I needed to, cursing the whole time, and realizing how lost I would without my mixer.  It may not seem like a big deal to some, but I use that mixer at least once a week, frequently more than that.  My darling husband, who loves and understands me, told me to buy a new one.  I blinked once, and started searching for the rock bottom prices.  I knew I wanted to upgrade, and I know the darn things are expensive.  Noah loves me, and he loves the goodies my mixer turns out, but I'm sure the tune of $500 would have given him a slight heart attack.  Thank goodness one of the local department stores was having one of their biggest sales of the year, and I was able to obtain the holy grail of Kitchen Aid's, the Professional 600, for under $300.  Now ensconced on my kitchen counter is my shiny new mixer.  Maybe not the color I wanted, but when in a hurry, beggars can't be choosers.  

So, here I am with this beautiful new mixer, and I am itching to make something.  Thanks to all the muffins I've had to make in the last 3 weeks (8 dozen at least), I have run out of vanilla, and do not have time to make a run up to Penzey's.  What to do?  I have to make something!  There's a shiny new toy that I have coveted for years in my kitchen!  So, I started taking stock of my ingredients, realizing I really need to clean out the baking cabinet.  It hit me.  Baking Powder Biscuits.  I love biscuits.  I don't make or eat them often, but oh, do I love them.  With a little strawberry jam, warm from the oven with honey butter, dipped in soup, you name it, I love them.  They're incredibly easy to make, and versatile enough for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  In fact, since it's cold out today, I'll pull some soup out of the freezer, and serve with the biscuits.  Voila, instant supper.  I know, I know.  I'm a freaking genius!  I'm also done taking requests to make Strawberry Muffins for everyone for at least a month.  I posted the recipe, and I know that the readers who requested them, have the recipe, even if they haven't signed up to follow this blog.  No more muffins!  At least, not until I cave under pressure from puppy dog eyes.

Baking Powder Biscuits


2 C all purpose flour
1 TB baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/3 C Crisco Butter Flavor shortening
1 C Whole Milk (2% works as well)


Preheat oven to 450


Grease a baking sheet or line with parchment or silpat. 


Put flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl, stir to mix.  Add shortening, mix on low until irregular clumps form.  Add milk, and stir on low just long enough to moisten the flour.  Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface, and knead 10 to 15 times, until dough comes together and is no longer sticky. 


Pat dough down into an oval, 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick.  Using a 2 inch cutter, cut biscuits out of dough.  Place on baking sheet, close together.  Bake for 15-20 minutes, until tops start to brown slightly.  

Apologies and Strawberry Muffins

I apologize, dear readers.  I have woefully neglected posting on this blog for over a month now.  I have no excuses.  Well, I have lots of excuses, but none that would really hold any water.  Instead, I have a peace offering.  Strawberry Muffins.

I've been thinking alot about my Grandmother lately.  She was an amazing woman, matriarch to this enormous family, keeping everyone in line and happy.  Grandma knew how to cook.  Specifically, she could bake.  I can still smell her bread coming out of the oven, taste its freshness.  Whenever I would come for a visit, she would make me a root beer float and sandwich with thick slices of summer sausage, butter and her homemade bread.  Oh, what I would not give for a slice of her bread!  For dessert, there was always a fresh pan of muffins on her kitchen table.  Moist and fluffy.  Grandma made delicious muffins.  I cherish each memory I have of that wonderful woman.  I can still hear her voice, her laughter, and feel the love that was shared with each dish around her kitchen table.  I am so proud to have her strength in my blood.  Blessed by my grandmothers love, I think of her often.  Grandma was such a good cook.  I often wish I could share my love of cooking with her.  Show her what she passed to me without even realizing it.  Today as I was working out my muffin recipe, I was thinking of her.  Wondering if she learned from her mother, or her grandmother.  I can still see her in the kitchen, pouring in the milk, adding the fruit.  I think she'd be impressed with these strawberry muffins.  I think she'd be pleased that I'm sharing them with those that I love.  Whenever somebody dies, we hear the familiar phrase that 'those we love are never really gone from us'.  Grandma will never be gone from me.  I think of her often, smile at her memory, and remember afternoons gone by, full of bread, root beer and muffins.


Notes about muffins:


I had to do some toying to make these muffins as moist as I wanted them.  I love scratch recipes, but well, sometimes boxed just seems better.  I wanted these to be as moist as the boxed recipes, but with better flavor.  After really doing my homework, I found that the key to moist muffins is not just the high fat content, but not over mixing the batter.  It's better to have a few lumps of dry ingredients in the batter.  It will just bake out.  Over mixing works the gluten, and you end up with dry muffins.  Most muffin recipes do not call for heavy cream.  However, I really wanted to increase the fat content, but did not want to use sour cream in this recipe.  I found that a 1/4 cup of heavy cream worked to really add moisture without making the muffins too cake-like.  While we're at it, let's talk substitutions.  I have stressed often enough not to substitute butter, so I won't go there.  However, most of us don't have a carton of buttermilk in the fridge.  A wonderful substitution for buttermilk is to make your own by adding a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to a cup of milk.  Allow it to thicken on the counter for 5 to 10 minutes.  Voila!  Buttermilk.


Strawberry Muffins


1/2 C butter, room temperature (1 stick)
1 1/2 C granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 C all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
zest of 1 lemon, finely grated
1 C buttermilk
1/4 C heavy cream
1 pint strawberries, sliced


Grease 12 muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.


In a large mixing bowl with an electric hand-held mixer on high setting, cream butter and sugar; beat in eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Blend in vanilla extract.


In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.


With a wooden spoon, stir flour mixture into creamed mixture. Gradually stir in lemon peel, heavy cream and buttermilk until dry ingredients are just moistened; do not over-mix. Gently fold in the strawberries.  Spoon batter into prepared muffin pan, filling each muffin cup full. Sprinkle the tops with granulated sugar or streusel.


Bake muffins at 350° for 20 to 30 minutes. Cool in pan on rack for 15 minutes. Gently turn strawberry muffins onto the rack. Serve strawberry muffins warm.

Flemish Beef Stew

Warning!  This recipe is not for those of you who have no self control.  It takes will power to make this dish.  Why?  Because you have to fry up a half pound of bacon as a first step, and then sit on that bacon without eating all of it for about 3 hours.  In my house, this feat is next to impossible.  I mean, who can resist bacon?  In the words of my good friend John - "Everything is better with bacon".


It certainly is true in this case.  Maybe because you cook almost all of the ingredients in bacon grease.  It's like a heart attack in a bowl.  Combine that with some beer and you have a marriage made in heaven.

Flemish Beef Stew


4 pounds beef roast - cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 pound bacon - cut into 1 inch pieces
1 extra large onion - thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic - pressed
3/4 C flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp rosemary
2 C Guiness Beer
4 C water
4 tsp Penzey's Beef Soup Base
4 TB red wine
3 TB brown sugar
Olive oil
6 yukon gold potatoes


In a large dutch oven, render bacon over medium-low heat until crisp.  Remove and set aside.


In a large bowl, combine salt, pepper and flour.  Dredge the beef in the flour and brown in the bacon grease, working in batches so you don't crowd the pan.  Add more olive oil as necessary.  Set aside browned meat.


Add a few tablespoons of oil to the drippings.  Add onions and garlic, cook until soft, but not browned.  Remove and set aside.


Return beef to the pan, add beer, water, soup base, red wine and rosemary.  Bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits on the bottom, simmer and reduce liquid by 1/3.


Add onions and garlic to beef mixture, cover with a lid and bake in oven at 350 for 2 hours.  While baking the stew, cut up potatoes, drizzle with olive oil, lightly salt and pepper.  Bake in the oven with the stew for 1 1/2 hours.  Remove from from the oven, and add the potatoes and bacon to the stew.


Serve with yummy crusty bread, and of course, more Guinness.  Enjoy!

Braided Cranberry Nut Bread

I have done it.  As I sit here writing this, and you reading this, I am no longer a quivering pile of goo when it comes to yeasty intentions.  I am a baker of fabulous things.  I have faced my fears of yeast and come out victorious on the other end.  I have made Braided Cranberry Nut Bread (can you hear the choir in my head?  Hallelujah!  Hallelujah!).  I did it.  I mixed the sweet dough, checked the elasticity, kneaded it some more, the dough rose, I punched it down, the dough rested, I rolled it out, I spread the filling, I cut it,  I braided it, the dough rose, I baked it, and it did not fall flat.  In my kitchen in all of it's glory is this beautiful coffee cake for brunch in the morning, drizzled with orange glaze, baked to golden perfection, calling out my name, giving me an imaginary blue ribbon and gold star.  I jumped gleefully in my kitchen, I hugged my husband, I used some colorful words to describe how happy I was, I laughed and I smiled.  I may sound crazy, but I just don't care.  I have made bread.  (cue the choir in my head again.)

Braided Cranberry Bread
from Heart-Healthy Living

Ingredients
2-3/4 to 3 cups all-purpose flour
1 package active dry yeast
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cranberries
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons finely chopped pecans
1-1/2 teaspoons finely shredded orange peel
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1-1/2 teaspoons butter, melted

Orange Icing (optional):
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 to 3 teaspoons orange juice


Directions
1. In a large bowl, combine 1 cup of the flour and the yeast; set aside. In a medium saucepan, heat and stir milk, the water, granulated sugar, the 2 tablespoons butter, and the salt until warm (120 degrees F to 130 degrees F) and butter almost melts. Add milk mixture to flour mixture; add egg. Beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed for 30 seconds, scraping side of bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.

2. Turn out dough onto a floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough that is smooth and elastic (3 to 5 minutes total). Shape into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl; turn once. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in size (1 to 1-1/2 hours).

3. Meanwhile, for filling: In a small bowl, stir together cranberries, brown sugar, pecans, orange peel, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves; set aside.

4. Punch down dough. Turn out onto lightly floured surface. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Grease a baking sheet. Roll dough into a 14x10-inch rectangle. Brush with the melted butter. Spread filling over dough. Starting from a long side, roll up dough. Seal seam. Cut roll in half lengthwise. Turn cut sides up. Loosely twist halves together, keeping the cut sides up. Pinch ends to seal. Place loaf on the prepared baking sheet. Cover; let rise in a warm place until nearly double in size (about 30 minutes). Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

5. Bake about 25 minutes or until golden. Transfer loaf to a wire rack; cool completely. If desired, drizzle with Orange Icing.

6. Orange Icing: In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup powdered sugar and enough orange juice (1 to 3 teaspoons) to make icing of drizzling consistency.