tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52705681932298893452024-03-13T07:39:59.390-05:00Baking RibbonsBaking Ribbonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00316742071505469593noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5270568193229889345.post-61814560005464569442022-10-21T04:18:00.015-05:002022-11-01T02:23:14.644-05:00The Real Lincoln Del Chocolate Cream Ice Box Pie<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAZNgkfxrfugqssCZdcDdG6FhAgIFhwzLZylcIBDQQluO0x0Fl1mVGZH9uvbicDGu3BCbSKWWPQL9ZbYioBGeMkVrqsZxzLlXD-Ag8o1JX3wICOvYEJrPNhPWfC6OpdKt0jYqgAXGYJynCyZQtKwXOAGKc8YHY2nJnCdjDCCozaJp0YPVqoSHqg1wL1Q/s960/Lincoln%20Del%20Chocolate%20pie%20whole.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="738" data-original-width="960" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAZNgkfxrfugqssCZdcDdG6FhAgIFhwzLZylcIBDQQluO0x0Fl1mVGZH9uvbicDGu3BCbSKWWPQL9ZbYioBGeMkVrqsZxzLlXD-Ag8o1JX3wICOvYEJrPNhPWfC6OpdKt0jYqgAXGYJynCyZQtKwXOAGKc8YHY2nJnCdjDCCozaJp0YPVqoSHqg1wL1Q/w320-h246/Lincoln%20Del%20Chocolate%20pie%20whole.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibgD-840Qicb09v5bMZB1goWjyOlfvZfB2i01WFHx_jYMtT2MXa_IuuNtGro8nNvzczx61SF31N_-rbZozz66LGBOAWzgA93jnyhJTiUQZLaEVi9XJ6CB0FzYlzW_faKWNSTghi410jFVO-TOwE_nd4H6cqcgct6VkW_cbAcWHCdN1u9hz3rrw2d3YTw/s960/Lincoln%20Del%20chocolate%20pie.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="831" data-original-width="960" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibgD-840Qicb09v5bMZB1goWjyOlfvZfB2i01WFHx_jYMtT2MXa_IuuNtGro8nNvzczx61SF31N_-rbZozz66LGBOAWzgA93jnyhJTiUQZLaEVi9XJ6CB0FzYlzW_faKWNSTghi410jFVO-TOwE_nd4H6cqcgct6VkW_cbAcWHCdN1u9hz3rrw2d3YTw/s320/Lincoln%20Del%20chocolate%20pie.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>The real Lincoln Del recipe for their chocolate ice box pie. Took me years to find it. The original recipe card had the amounts for 7 pies so I needed to do some scaling down. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Here it is:</span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><u><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #500050; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">** Recipe for one
pie </span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #500050; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">4 1/2 ounces of butter or 9 tablespoons <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #500050; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2.3 Oz unsweetened baking chocolate bar ( I
use 2.5 oz)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #500050; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">6.85 Oz granulated sugar or approximately
nine-tenths of a cup of sugar<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #500050; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">6.1 Oz eggs or three large eggs. I use
pasteurized eggs.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #500050; font-size: 18.6667px;">One pre-baked pie shell.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #500050; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="color: #500050; font-size: 14pt;">DIRECTIONS:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #500050; font-size: 14pt;">Beat butter with sugar until creamy. Use paddle
attachment if you use a stand mixer. Carefully melt and slightly cool chocolate
so it is not hot.</span><span style="color: #500050; font-size: 14pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="color: #500050; font-size: 14pt;">Blend into sugar
butter mixture.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #500050; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Important Next Step:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Use wire whip on your electric stand mixer or
regular beaters on your hand-held electric mixer to add one egg at a time,
beating on high speed for about 4 or 5 minutes for each egg. Scrape sides and
bottom of bowl in between adding each egg. Mixture will get lighter in color with each
egg.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> DO NOT USE PADDLE ATTACHMENT FOR THIS STEP OR YOUR PIE WILL NOT TURN OUT. </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #500050; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="color: #500050; font-size: 14pt;">Mixture may be a little grainy.</span><span style="color: #500050; font-size: 14pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="color: #500050; font-size: 14pt;">That’s how the pie was.</span><span style="color: #500050; font-size: 14pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #500050; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="color: #500050; font-size: 14pt;">Fill pie crust and refrigerate. </span><span style="color: #500050; font-size: 14pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="color: #500050; font-size: 14pt;">The filling will set up in a couple of hours.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #500050; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> Whip heavy cream and add a little sugar to it. Spread on top. Enjoy!!!</o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #500050; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Notes:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #500050; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Unsweetened chocolate usually comes in a 4 oz
bar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If those bars are made up of
(8)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1/2 ounce sections, I use 2.5
ounces, or 5 sections.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #500050; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="color: #500050; font-size: 14pt;">Recipe tastes best with a savory pie crust,
but I have used a gluten free oreo type crust also.</span></p><br /><p></p><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><u><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #500050; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Original recipe from recipe card made 7 pies</span></u><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #500050; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #500050; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2 lb of butter or 32 oz <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #500050; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1 lb of unsweetened solid baking chocolate or 16 oz <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #500050; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3 lb of granulated white sugar or 48 oz <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #500050; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">20 eggs or approximately 42.5 Oz<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #500050; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><u><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #500050; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Converted into ounces and divided by 7 for one pie.<o:p></o:p></span></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #500050; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">32 oz of butter divided by 7 equals 4.57 oz<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #500050; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">16 oz of unsweetened solid baking chocolate divided by 7 equals 2.28 oz<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #500050; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">48 oz of granulated sugar divided by 7 equals 6.85 oz<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #500050; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">20 eggs divided by 7 equals <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>6.1 oz<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #500050; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p></div>Baking Ribbonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00316742071505469593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5270568193229889345.post-23812321278072238742018-02-17T16:26:00.001-06:002018-02-17T17:50:43.215-06:00Fantasy Fudge Fix<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've been testing a couple of popular fudge recipes. One is super easy and uses sweetened condensed milk and chocolate chips and that's about it. The other is called Fantasy Fudge. In addition to using chocolate chips it uses cane sugar, evaporated milk, marshmallow cream, lots of butter, and you have to boil it. Not as easy. Both have probably been around for decades . After taste testing both, most of my taste testers like the boiled fudge better. I don't know how to describe it exactly, but it just has a more complex and in-depth flavor. Maybe caramel undertones from the boiled butter, sugar, milk mix add to its deliciousness. If you are in a hurry and you want something super simple, I would go with the chocolate chips added to the sweetened condensed milk recipes out there. ***This post is not one of those recipes.***<br />
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Fantasy Fudge has been made for decades. I'm new to the fudge making world. That being said, I'm not new to the tweaking or doctoring almost-every-recipe-I-try world. The original FF recipe calls for 3 cups of sugar and semi-sweet chocolate chips in addition to everything else. I believe almost every recipe online has too much sugar. Especially recipes from the 1960s and 70s and earlier. So after changing the amount of sugar multiple times, adding salt, not adding salt, adding more butter, and adding less butter, here is my final version which I call Fantasy Fudge, Fixed. Everyone I have given it to loves it. I see them going back for more so I know they're not just trying to spare my delicate feelings. No one can believe I cut out 3/4 of a cup of sugar from the original recipe and used dark chocolate chips instead because it is still sweet fudge. In my version of this old recipe you can actually taste the chocolate!!! Try it and you will be a believer. So says the Fudge Doctor!!<br />
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<b><u>Ingredients</u></b>:<br />
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar<br />
1.5 sticks (12 T or 3/4 cup) of salted butter.<br />
5 oz of evaporated milk. Not sweetened condensed.<br />
12 oz dark chocolate chips (About 2 measuring cups full.) I use Ghirardelli 60% cocoa chips and then need to open up a second bag because their bags only have 10 oz.<br />
7 oz jar of marshmallow cream or the equivalent in mini marshmallows.<br />
1/2 to 1 teaspoon flavored extracts if you want to flavor it. I would start with 1/2 t and taste test for strength.<br />
I have used peppermint and orange.<br />
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<b><u>Do a heads:</u></b><br />
To make it easy and so you don't have to run around at the last minute, follow these preliminary steps.<br />
Have a 9 or 8 inch baking pan lined with nonstick foil ready-remember the non-stick side is the dull side.<br />
Open up your jar of marshmallow cream and empty it into a large-sized mixing bowl.<br />
Measure out your chocolate chips into a separate bowl and set them near your stovetop.<br />
Before adding anything to the saucepan, butter the sides and all the way up to the top of a medium-sized saucepan to help prevent sugar crystals from forming when boiling the milk butter sugar mixture.<br />
Have a candy thermometer ready. Or be prepared to guess at the boiling time of between 5 and 7 minutes. It needs to be soft ball stage.<br />
Have your mixer ready or be prepared to beat the fudge by hand with a heavy big spoon for at least a minute. The fudge will be thick so prepare to use muscles.<br />
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<b><u>Directions</u></b>:<br />
1. In a medium sized saucepan melt the butter, granulated sugar, and milk together over medium low heat while slowly stirring. Once the sugar and butter are completely melted increase heat to medium. You don't want to bring it up to a rapid boil too fast or it will burn.<u><b> </b></u><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<u><b>2. Being careful NOT to scrape the</b></u> <b><u>sides of the pan,</u></b> stir the mixture until it begins a rapid boil. Once it begins a rapid boil, constantly continue to stir carefully, making sure not to scrape the sides, for about 5 to 6 minutes. It always takes me closer to 6 and 1/2 minutes, but I use my candy thermometer to get the temperature up to 234 degrees.<br />
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3. Once the correct consistency or temp of 234 of the boiled mixture has been reached, remove it from the heat and stir the chocolate chips into the mixture in the saucepan <b><u>trying NOT to scrape the sides of the pan.</u></b> Stir quickly because you want the mixture to remain hot (in order to melt the marshmallow cream later). It should look thick and grainy. <br />
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4.Once the chips are fully incorporated, quickly with a spatula and <u><b>remembering NOT to scrape the sides of the pot</b></u> , scrape the chocolate out of the pot into the bowl with marshmallow cream. Give it a quick stir from the bottom up so you can get the marshmallow cream up from the bottom. Add any extracts now. Then beat with a mixer for about 1 minute or until it doesn't look too shiny anymore. I use my hand held mixer.<br />
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5. Quickly pour or use your spatula to get the thickened chocolate fudge mixture out of the bowl and into your non-stick foil lined pan. Use a frosting spatuala or some other utensil to spread it out and flatten it out.<br />
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<b><u>Notes</u></b>:<br />
I usually let mine set up in a cool room and it takes about 2 hours. You can quicken that setting-up time by covering the fudge and putting it into the refrigerator.<br />
When cutting the fudge, make sure to check that the foil doesn't stick to the bottom of the fudge pieces. Sometimes mine does and I have to peel the foil away. It peels away easily. Baking Ribbonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00316742071505469593noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5270568193229889345.post-24452940417319211372016-10-08T15:46:00.002-05:002016-10-08T15:46:21.368-05:00Easy Squash Soup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">I planted 6 squash plants this year. 3 acorn and 3 butternut. I forgot how large their leaves get and how much space they take up. I even had a sqaush vine and squash hanging high up in my Cotoneaster hedge. It was my most perfect shaped squash. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I like easy. I came up with this recipe by using Alton Brown's basic recipe. With my changes this is the best squash soup I've ever tasted. I don't usually mess with Alton, but this time his soup was laking something for me. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">You judge for yourselves!! You can make it savory or sweet. Just omit the sugar. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I used spenda to replace the sugar so my diabetic mom could try it. You can't tell it has a sugar sub. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">My changes to Alton's recipe were to use half and half instead of cream, (milk plus cream) less salt, no nutmeg, powdered ginger instead of fresh, a whole small onion, a tiny bit of ground cloves, and cinnamon. You could make this dairy free by using coconut milk. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I used acorn squash for this first batch. Their flesh is a bit less orange than the butternut. </span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uxFjJYxCOiE/V_lV2yKRW8I/AAAAAAAAHSA/mw1IIRshOrEWG8I4NqpYS8h7L4yfIag6QCLcB/s1600/20161008_141547.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="331" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uxFjJYxCOiE/V_lV2yKRW8I/AAAAAAAAHSA/mw1IIRshOrEWG8I4NqpYS8h7L4yfIag6QCLcB/s400/20161008_141547.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Squash soup in Starbuck's Pumpkin mug<br /><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;">Recipe: </span><div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://altonbrown.com/butternut-squash-soup-recipe/" target="_blank">Alton Brown's original recipe for </a> squash soup
with my changes in CAPS below. </span></span><div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: white;">Ingredients</span><br />
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<span style="background: white;">3 to 3 1/2 pounds butternut squash,
approximately 2, seeded and quartered (I used 2 large acorn squash)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: white;">1 SMALL ONION CUT UP</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">OIL <s>Unsalted butter, melted,</s> for brushing</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">SALT FOR SPRINKLING <s>1 tablespoon kosher salt,</s>
plus 1 teaspoon</span><br />
<s><span style="background: white;">1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper, plus
1/2 teaspoon</span></s><br />
<span style="background: white;">3 cups chicken or vegetable broth</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">1/4 cup honey OR ¼ CUP SPLENDA</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger OR ¼ TEASPOON
POWDERED<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 TEASPOON GROUND CINNAMON<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">1/8 </span><span style="background: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">TEASPOON GROUND CLOVES-tread lightly this is strong. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: white;">1/2 cup <s>heavy cream</s> HALF AND HALF OR WHOLE MILK<br />
<s>1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg</s></span><s><br />
</s><br />
<span style="background: white;">Directions</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Place the quartered squash onto a cookie sheet with rims, brush the flesh of the squash with OIL AND SPRINKLE GENEROUSLY WITH SALT. <s>a little
butter and season with 1 tablespoon of the salt</s> <s>and 1 teaspoon of the
white pepper.</s> Place in the oven and roast for 30 to 35 minutes or until the
flesh is soft and tender-poke with a fork to see if it is soft. WHILE SQUASH
ROASTS COOK THE ONION IN A SMALL PAN WITH A LITTLE OIL UNTIL IT IS TRANSLUCENT
BUT NOT CRISPY. SET ASIDE. </span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Scoop OR PEEL with a vegetable peeler the flesh out of the SQUASH skin and place into a 6-quart pot. Add the COOKED ONION, broth, honey and ginger. Place over medium
heat and bring to a simmer, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Using a stick
blender, puree the mixture until smooth*. Stir in the HALF AND HALF <s>heavy
cream</s> and return to a low simmer. Season with the remaining CINNAMON,
CLOVES, 1 teaspoon salt<s>, pepper, and nutmeg</s>.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">*When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from
the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender
or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release
one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat
explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then
process on high speed until smooth.</span><br /><span style="background: white;">Original recipe courtesy of Alton Brown, 2003. Changes made by me 2016.</span></span><br />
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Baking Ribbonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00316742071505469593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5270568193229889345.post-75748163359484544632016-02-16T23:58:00.001-06:002016-02-19T15:44:38.965-06:00KEY LIME PIE-LOOK MOM, NO EGGS!! <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Well, almost 2 years has gone by since my last post. I can't believe that much time has passed. Dealing with other's health issues and my ebay store distracted me from baking blogging. I also had not been to my Winter escape in Florida for 2 years. Well, I was lucky enough to go this year. I just returned from the Fort Myers area with a key lime pie agenda because after sampling probably half a dozen different key lime pies, I was not impressed with any of them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It was disappointing. Some too sweet, some too tart, some too cheese-cakey, some too sour creamy, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">some soggy crusts, crumbly crusts, etc. One slice was served at a fine restaurant and the key lime filling was grainy!!! I called the server over to tell her. She got the owner. The owner said it is a frozen pie they thaw and they are well known for it-grainy texture and all. I was shocked and so was my aunt. It felt like eating sand-not that I know what that's like, but I can guess now!!. Neither one of us could take more than one bite. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Usually my quest for a good popular pie takes more than one try because there are hundreds of recipes for it. Not this time!! I lurk on the Cookie Madness blog often because Anna has great recipes and many of them. The first recipe I tried and altered just a little bit was perfect for me!!! Tart, sweet, silky smooth, and with a crispy crust that contrasts deliciously in your mouth with the smooth pie. Oh, and did I mention NO EGGS??? And did I mention lower cholesterol due to NO EGGS and use of YOGURT instead of sour cream??? I don't know why anyone would use eggs anymore when you can make a fantastic pie with out them. And only 4 ingredients in the filling! The original recipe I altered is found here on <a href="http://www.cookiemadness.net/2013/12/key-lime-pie-without-egg-yolks/" target="_blank">Cookie Madness</a> If you try my rendition of this recipe (or Cookie Madness' recipe), I'm confident you will not be disappointed. What's especially nice is since there are no eggs, once you fully mix mix the filling ingredients together, you can taste it to see if it is tart enough for you before you make the commitment of pouring it into the pie shell. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ez-QjGG8k3s/Vsay75zjbII/AAAAAAAAEHU/6pGvvjBQnHI/s1600/key%2Blime%2Bw%2Byogurt%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="305" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ez-QjGG8k3s/Vsay75zjbII/AAAAAAAAEHU/6pGvvjBQnHI/s400/key%2Blime%2Bw%2Byogurt%2B1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just to whet your appetite</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D3c964HYBHw/Vsay739WTnI/AAAAAAAAEHQ/eW_ad9bz_1c/s1600/key%2Blime%2Bw%2Byogurt%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D3c964HYBHw/Vsay739WTnI/AAAAAAAAEHQ/eW_ad9bz_1c/s400/key%2Blime%2Bw%2Byogurt%2B3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smooth as silk inside</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You will need the following ingredients. I forgot to include butter and the larger lime in the first photograph. You can use either graham cracker crumbs or cookie crumbs for the crust. Both options are pictured here.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I use a microplane for zesting the limes. The lime I zested was a larger persian lime which is the standard lime available in grocery stores. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My pie plate was too large. It was a 10 inch. A 9 inch would yield a little thicker filling, but still not high. You can fix that by doubling the filling recipe below</span>. </div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here is the recipe:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Preheat oven to 350</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Use a 9 or 10 inch pie plate (10 inch will be thin like mine) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">INGREDIENTS:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Crust:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">18 Oreo Toasted Coconut sandwich cookies (or an Oreo flavor of your choice)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">4 Tablespoons SALTED butter - melted. (salted is a must as the cookies are sweeeeet) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1/8 teaspoon salt or just a pinch</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Filling: (May be doubled for a thicker, taller pie)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1/4 generous cup of full fat plain unsweetened yogurt</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">7 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice (1 large lime yielded 4 Tablespoons of juice for me and then I added 3 Tablespoons from about 6 or 7 key limes I juiced) Or you can use bottled juices.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1/2 Tablespoon of lime zest or more for zestier pie. (1 large lime yielded about 1 Tablespoon zest.) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Topping: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Redi Whip or make your own whipped cream topping </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Left over lime zest for sprinkling on whipped cream</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">DIRECTIONS:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">**Crust</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Process the whole cookies in a food processor until they are small crumbs (or put them into a zip lock baggie and smash them by hand or with a rolling pin). Pour into a medium sized bowl and mix in salt. Then mix in melted butter. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Press cookie mixture into the pie plate (I use the bottom of the one cup measuring cup or a small rounded bowl to press the mixture into the pan.) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bake for about 6-7 minutes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">**Filling</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While the crust is baking and In a medium bowl add in the sweetened condensed milk, yogurt, zest, and lime juice. Mix well to make sure yogurt is blended in-make sure you mix from the bottom of the bowl where yogurt hides sometimes! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Pour into the baked pie crust and bake another 6 or 7 minutes. You can tell it is done by taking the pie out and gently shaking it-it should not be too jiggly. I also saw some bubbles forming on the top so I knew it was time to take out. Mine was set at 7 minutes. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE FILLING BROWNS!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Cool for about an hour at room temperature or until the pie is no longer warm. If you don't want condensation drops to form on the plastic covering the pie (they can drip onto the pie and discolor it), after cooling for an hour on the counter put the pie uncovered in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. Then cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you use a canned whipped topping, don't put it on the whole pie, but just on each piece served. That type of whipped topping melts after a while so it won't survive in the refrigerator overnight. I learned that the hard way. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Please let me know if you try this recipe!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1. I used a glass pie plate and my cookie crust did not stick to it. If you use metal or something else you might want to lightly butter or oil the pie plate so the slices come out easily. </span></div>
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Baking Ribbonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00316742071505469593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5270568193229889345.post-66033027229492180762014-04-05T12:04:00.000-05:002018-08-23T00:07:19.935-05:00Best Mint Ice Cream!Haven't been in the posting mood for um.. a while! Just had another snow storm and got 7 inches of fresh, heavy snow. Ice cream makes me think of Summer and I need a Summer fix for sure. I just made my SECOND batch of <a href="http://www.cookiemadness.net/2010/08/favorite-mint-chocolate-ice-cream/" target="_blank">Cookie Madness</a> Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream. I also completed my back-up plan: I found another never used, packaging- peanut- remnants- still- clinging- to- the- bowl Cuisinart ice cream maker at my local New Uses store. To my dismay the price nearly doubled since the last $17 machine I bought. I guess they did their home work. New ice cream makers are expensive. Still, $32 for a never used $60 machine is a steal. <br />
If you like mild mint flavored ice cream that does not have a dozen egg yolks in it, this recipe is for you.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-51H-OPn2s8k/U0A0-ljTeaI/AAAAAAAAAWo/TuzgTMnc_Vs/s1600/ice+cream+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-51H-OPn2s8k/U0A0-ljTeaI/AAAAAAAAAWo/TuzgTMnc_Vs/s1600/ice+cream+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Creamy, minty, chocolatey</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My quality control tester Margo-I ran out of mixing room so had to use the bathroom. <br />
That's Margo's domain because it has the sink she thinks is her private watering hole. </td></tr>
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Here is Anna's recipe with a couple ingredient changes I made:<br />
( I leave out the vanilla and add salt)<br />
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<b>Utensils you will need:</b><br />
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Medium sized heat-proof bowl<br />
large mixing bowl<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I8vjYtPOX5Y/U0A6iKBOwHI/AAAAAAAAAXI/j83LIzgadgc/s1600/strainer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I8vjYtPOX5Y/U0A6iKBOwHI/AAAAAAAAAXI/j83LIzgadgc/s1600/strainer.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mesh strainer</td></tr>
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fine mesh strainer to set over large mixing bowl<br />
medium sauce pan<br />
kitchen towel<br />
heat proof spatula or wooden spoon<br />
whisk<br />
electric ice cream maker<br />
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
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<ul>
<li>3/4 cup granulated sugar</li>
<li>1 tablespoon cornstarch</li>
<li>1/8 heaping teaspoon salt</li>
<li>2 large eggs (whites and yolks)</li>
<li>1 cup whole milk or half and half or Fat Free half and half (I've used both regular and Fat Free half and half. Ice cream came out good both ways)</li>
<li>2 cups heavy cream (divided use)</li>
<li>1 3/4 teaspoons peppermint extract (not mint — make sure it says peppermint)</li>
<li>3 oz mini chocolate chips, finely grated chocolate, or make your own (**I did this-see below)</li>
<li>Optional: Green food coloring and Oreo or another chocolate pie crust</li>
</ul>
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<b>Instructions: </b></div>
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<ol>
<li>Put an empty container into the freezer to be ready for filling with your ice cream. </li>
<li> In a medium size bowl mix eggs with cornstarch , sugar, and salt. Set near stove. (Tip: put the bowl on a kitchen towel so it will stay still while you are mixing in the custard below)</li>
<li>Pour 1 cup of cream into a large bowl. Set a strainer over the top.</li>
<li> In a heavy saucepan set over medium heat, bring the 1 cup of milk and 1 cup of the cream to a simmer. </li>
<li>Whisking constantly, slowly pour the simmering cream mixture into the egg mixture. Return the mixture to the saucepan. Reduce heat to about medium low and stir slowly, but constantly MIXING UP FROM THE BOTTOM until the mixture thickens – it should NOT come to a complete boil. It should appear like thick gravy. Cook to about 170 degrees</li>
<li>Remove from heat and pour through the mesh strainer into the bowl of cream. Slowly mix. </li>
<li>Mix in peppermint extract and add 2 drops of green food coloring if desired.</li>
<li>Transfer to a shallow bowl and allow to cool on the counter for 1/2 hour or so. Then cover and cool over night or at least 4 hours in the refrigerator. </li>
<li>Mix according to your ice cream maker's instructions.</li>
<li>Pour into the empty frozen container OR pour into a frozen Oreo pie crust and freeze for at least 4 hours. </li>
</ol>
** Per Anna's instructions I used 3 oz of dark chocolate (I used Trader Joe's) melted in the microwave and then added 2 teaspoons of canola oil to smooth it out. I spread it on a parchment lined cookie sheet until it was thin and refrigerated it for 1/2 hour. Then cut or break up into small pieces and mix into ice cream during the last few minutes of churning. Or mix in by hand after churning. </div>
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Notes: Leave out the mint, add a tablespoon of vanilla, and you will have delicious vanilla ice cream. </div>
Baking Ribbonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00316742071505469593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5270568193229889345.post-32787550539300998722013-10-07T14:03:00.002-05:002014-04-10T14:01:04.718-05:00KAF Flourless Fudge Cookies<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">OMG. Who knew gluten-free deep, dark chocolate cookies could be quick and easy to make. If you want a perfect dark chocolate, gluten-free, easy cookie to mix up, look no further. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most people don't have a clue there is no flour in this recipe. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just look at the photo below. They taste as good as they look!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cLxp8amy2Zo/UlL9rQcbxNI/AAAAAAAAAWE/fYp9d2SJZ90/s1600/meringue+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cLxp8amy2Zo/UlL9rQcbxNI/AAAAAAAAAWE/fYp9d2SJZ90/s400/meringue+4.jpg" height="268" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">These are so easy to make your five-year old could do it!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Here is my adaptation of<a href="http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/flourless-fudge-cookies-recipe" target="_blank"> King Arthur Flour's Flourless Fudge Cookie</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yeild: about 24 cookies</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><u><b>Ingredients:</b></u></span><br />
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<ul><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.2;">
<li><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.2;">2 cups confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.2;">1/4 teaspoon salt</span></li>
<li><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.2;">1/2 teaspoon</span><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.2;"> d</span><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.2;">ecaf coffee crystals (smashed fine with a spoon)</span><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.2;">, optional but good</span></li>
<li><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.2;">**1 cup cocoa powder, Dutch-process (or make your own) </span></li>
<li><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.2;">3 large egg whites ( or 4 if your batter is stiff)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.2;">1/2 teaspoon gluten-free</span><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.2;"> extract</span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(52, 158, 219, 0.329412); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="color: magenta;"> </span>(I would use orange, but you could use almond, vanilla, or whatever you like)</span></li>
<li><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(52, 158, 219, 0.329412); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips</span></li>
<li><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(52, 158, 219, 0.329412); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">1 cup toasted nuts</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 24px;"><b><u>Directions:</u></b></span></span></div>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 24px;">Have egg whites at room temperature</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 24px;">Preheat oven to 350°. Spray two large cookie sheets with nonstick spray or line with parchment paper and spray that with nonstick spray <u>**(Make sure it is not the baking spray because that has flour in it).</u></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 24px;">In a medium-size bowl combine dry ingredients with a wire whisk until mixed well. Set-aside.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 24px;">In a small bowl using a fork lightly beat the egg whites for about 10 seconds. Mix in extracts.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 24px;">Pour the egg whites into the dry ingredients and mix carefully until fully combined using a spatula to mix up from the bottom. (Batter is supposed to be thin like cake batter, but mine never is). Then mix in chocolate chips and toasted nuts.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 24px;">Drop by tablespoon full onto cookie sheets leaving at least 1 inch space between cookies ( if you don't add chocolate chips or nuts they will spread more so give them at least 2 inches space.)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 24px;">Bake for eight or nine minutes. Remove from oven and either let cool on the tray or wait a few minutes and then pick them up and put them on cookie cooling racks. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 24px;">Store covered on your counter. Not sure how long they last, but it has not been an issue here. </span></span></li>
</ol>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 24px;"><b>**<u>Notes:</u></b> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">I used a suggestion I read on the Internet on how to turn natural processed cocoa like Hershey's into Dutch processed cocoa. Dutch processed cocoa has less acid and is more expensive. For every 3 tablespoons of Hershey's natural cocoa you mix in 1/8 of a teaspoon </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">of baking soda which is an alkaline. So for a cup of Hershey's natural cocoa (16 tablespoons) you mix in approximately 5/8 of a teaspoon. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">I think I may try using the Dutch cocoa next time, but these came out good. I just want to see if there is a difference.</span></span></div>
Baking Ribbonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00316742071505469593noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5270568193229889345.post-15400615188856972872013-10-06T18:49:00.001-05:002013-10-06T21:01:52.675-05:00Delicious Gluten-Free Orange Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies AKA Forgotten Kisses<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I have been looking for gluten-free cookies recipes and recently came upon a post from <a href="http://www.cookiemadness.net/2013/09/date-nut-chocolate-chip-meringues/" target="_blank">Anna at Cookie Madness</a> for meringue cookies. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Her recipe opened up a whole new world of meringue cookies for me. Forgotten Kisses refers to leaving the cookies in the oven from a few hours to overnight to crisp up. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I altered Anna's recipe a bit, but as is they were great too!!! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I am an orange and chocolate fan so I added some orange extract to the whipped egg whites. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You can find her recipe at the link above.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Gluten free, less fat, and some egg-white protein too! What's not to like?</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MJZNRR6Z_LY/UlHzA4Pt_9I/AAAAAAAAAVw/Dv83SvBRH3I/s1600/meringue+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="325" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MJZNRR6Z_LY/UlHzA4Pt_9I/AAAAAAAAAVw/Dv83SvBRH3I/s400/meringue+1.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Chocolate-chip pecan meringue cookies</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">My adapted recipe is here:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><u>Ingredients</u></span></div>
<ul style="line-height: inherit; list-style: square; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">3 large egg whites</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">1 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar (don't skimp)</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar </span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">1/2 teaspoon orange extract</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">1 cup pecans or walnuts, toasted and chopped</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips.</span></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><u>Instructions</u></span></div>
<ol style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions" style="background-position: 0px 50%; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: inherit; list-style: decimal outside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. ( I made the cookies big and only needed one sheet. See tips below.) </span></li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions" style="background-position: 0px 50%; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: inherit; list-style: decimal outside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In a mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until just foamy. Add cream of tartar. Continue beating until you have soft peaks. Beat in the sugar a few tablespoons at a time. Continue beating until stiff, shiny peaks form (mine didn't get completely stiff. It looked like stiffer shiny marshmallow cream). </span></li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions" style="background-position: 0px 50%; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: inherit; list-style: decimal outside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">To make sure the sugar has disolved, take a bit of the whites and rub between your fingers. If it is silky smooth, you should be close to done. Then beat in the extract. Carefully fold in the pecans and chocolate chips.</span></li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions" style="background-position: 0px 50%; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: inherit; list-style: decimal outside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Using a teaspoon, drop 12 mounds of cookie dough onto each baking sheet. Set one sheet on the middle rack and one on the lower rack and bake for 15 minutes.</span></li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions" style="background-position: 0px 50%; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: inherit; list-style: decimal outside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">After 15 minutes switch the baking sheets so the sheet on the bottom is now on the top and the sheet on top is not on the bottom. Bake for another 15 minutes at 275 degrees.</span></li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions" style="background-position: 0px 50%; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: inherit; list-style: decimal outside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>Turn off oven </u></b>and let the cookies sit in the closed oven for about two hours or overnight. </span></li>
</ol>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: inherit;">Tips: </span></span></span></div>
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<ol><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">
<li><span style="line-height: inherit;">Use egg whites that are at least as warm as room temperature. I take mine out and put them on top of the oven while it is preheating.</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: inherit;">My stand mixer would not beat this small amount of whites so I needed to use my hand mixer. </span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: inherit;">Make sure you use at least a medium sized bowl because the whites will increase in volume as you beat them.</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: inherit;">Take a dab of the whipped egg whites and put some under each corner of the parchment paper to work as "glue" so it doesn't slip.</span></li>
<li>Bigger cookies are a bit crumbly, but I think they are impressive-looking. Smaller "one bite" sized cookies are neater. </li>
<li>I made larger cookies and got 13. I baked them 45 minutes at 275 degrees. </li>
<li>You can try using mini chocolate chips if you make smaller cookies.</li>
<li>Don't make them on a humid day unless you've got the AC running. </li>
<li>Don't eat too many. They are suprisingly good!! </li>
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Baking Ribbonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00316742071505469593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5270568193229889345.post-2978678907752538172013-10-03T15:29:00.000-05:002017-04-18T14:06:10.808-05:00What To Do With Those Frozen Summer Berries??<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you are like me, you found bargains on fresh blueberries and strawberries over the Summer. If you are like me, you purchased too many and stuck them in your freezer. Unlike me, you probably are using them in healthy snacks or quick breads. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I decided to use them in ice cream. No complaints from the husband, nieces, or nephews! I made blueberry custard ice cream and strawberry custard ice cream.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I used the same recipe for both, but I used bits and pieces from 3 different blogs. The recipes are a combination of <a href="http://www.cookiemadness.net/2011/03/homemade-vanilla-ice-cream/" target="_blank">Rich and Creamy Vanilla Ice Cream</a> from Cookie Madness, <a href="http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/blueberry-ice-cream.aspx" target="_blank">Blueberry Ice Cream</a> from Fine Cooking, and <a href="http://www.joyofbaking.com/StrawberryIceCream.html" target="_blank">Strawberry Ice Cream</a> from Joy of Baking. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Tips: </span><br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">You can make the blueberry and strawberry sauces a few days in advance and refrigerate. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Put a medium sized covered empty bowl in the freezer ahead of time so it will be cold when you spoon the freshly churned ice cream into it. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you are making an ice cream pie, pour the churned soft ice cream directly into the pie crust. Don't freeze it hard, then soften it to put in the crust and re-freeze. If you do, the texture becomes icy. At least it did for me.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Make scrambled egg-whites or an omelet with the leftover egg whites. I add about a 1/4 cup of milk, some salt, onion, and garlic powder. I also add any leftover cut up meat or veggies. Beat it up, fry it in some olive oil, and presto! OR Microwave it in a covered bowl with a vent, even easier!! You have a healthy meal to be followed by ice cream.</span></span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><u><b>Blueberry Sauce</b></u>:</span><br />
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<li style="box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 0px 8px; padding: 0px;"><span rel="v:ingredient" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">12 oz. (2+ cups) fresh or frozen blueberries (I fill the 2-cup measuring cup to the top in order to get 3/4 cup of liquid in the end)</span></span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 0px 8px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 1.2;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/4 cup light corn syrup (keeps churned ice creams creamier than regular sugar)</span></span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 0px 8px; padding: 0px;"><span rel="v:ingredient" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">1/2 teaspoon lemon juice (fresh or bottled)</span></span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 0px 8px; padding: 0px;"><span rel="v:ingredient" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><u><b>Directions</b></u><b>:</b></span></span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 0px 8px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span rel="v:ingredient" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 21px;">I</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 21px;">n a 2-quart saucepan, combine the berries, corn syrup, and lemon juice. Set the pan</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 21px;"> over low heat and mash the berries well with a potato masher or the back of a large fork. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 21px;"> Increase the heat to medium low and bring the mixture to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes or until it gets thicker, stirring occasionally. Use an immersion blender to blend the sauce while it is in the pan. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 21px;"> If you don't have one, use a regular blender or just mash real well. STRAIN WELL to get about 3/4 cup of liquid. Refrigerate until cold.</span><span style="color: #363636; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 21px;"> </span></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 21px;"><b><u>Strawberry Sauce</u><span style="color: #363636;"><u>:</u> </span>No photo :( You will need to use your imagination!</b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">10 oz of frozen or fresh strawberries</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">1/4 cup light corn syrup</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">1/2 teaspoon lemon juice</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><u><b>Directions:</b></u></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">I</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">n a 2-quart saucepan, combine the berries, corn syrup, and lemon juice. Set the pan over low heat and mash the berries well with a potato masher or the back of a large fork. Increase the heat to medium low and bring the mixture to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes or until it gets thicker, stirring occasionally. Use an immersion blender to blend the sauce while it is in the pan. If you don't have one, use a regular blender or just mash real well. STRAIN. Refrigerate until cold.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Blueberry</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-00d-HGyMa0c/WPZh_C5Es4I/AAAAAAAALS4/EW2wWKyPuN0_5i6GFlwQt3VEJBmpa8YEACLcB/s1600/Blueberry%2Bice%2Bcream%2B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-00d-HGyMa0c/WPZh_C5Es4I/AAAAAAAALS4/EW2wWKyPuN0_5i6GFlwQt3VEJBmpa8YEACLcB/s320/Blueberry%2Bice%2Bcream%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oYkbfOJU0JQ/Uk3P3CDtpNI/AAAAAAAAAVU/t3sPXL5l4mI/s1600/straw+ice+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oYkbfOJU0JQ/Uk3P3CDtpNI/AAAAAAAAAVU/t3sPXL5l4mI/s400/straw+ice+2.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Strawberry</span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><u>Drumroll...the ice cream base:</u></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Makes about 1 1/2 quarts</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">3/4 cup granulated sugar or 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup light corn syrup</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">1/8 teaspoon salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">6 large egg yolks</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">1.5 cups 1/2 and 1/2</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">1 cup heavy whipping cream (not whipped!!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">1/2 t vanilla or other flavoring optional. </span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Set a large bowl on a towel on the counter. Pour the cream into it. Put a hand held strainer on top of it. Set aside. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In a medium sized mixing bowl, beat or whisk the sugars and salt into the egg yolks until thickened a bit. Set aside.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Pour half-and-half into a 2 quart sized sauce pan and bring to a simmer (bubbling a bit), not a full boil. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Slowly drizzle and constantly whisk the hot half-and-half into the egg mixture. If you pour too fast, you will get scrambled eggs. Pour the egg mixture back into the sauce pan and stir constantly with a heat proof spatula (making sure you stir from the bottom) until the custard thickens slightly and looks like thick eggnog. Be careful not to let the mixture boil or the eggs will scramble. Remove from the heat and pour the hot custard through the strainer into the bowl with cream. Press the liquid through the strainer if it is too thick. Stir just until combined. Partially cover (or condensation will drip water into your mix) and let cool to room temp. Stir in any extracts. Wipe off condensation from bowl cover, replace cover tightly, and refrigerate until cold or overnight. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Place an empty medium sized covered bowl in the freezer to put the ice cream into once it is churned.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u>For Strawberry or Blueberry Ice Cream</u>. Right before you are ready to churn, stir 3/4 of a cup of the chilled strawberry or blueberry sauce into the <u>chilled</u> custard, then freeze in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions. When finished, the ice cream will have a soft-serve texture. If you want it harder, transfer it to the bowl you had in the freezer and freeze at least 2 hours.</span></span></li>
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<br />Baking Ribbonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00316742071505469593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5270568193229889345.post-62933939753032778952013-06-20T22:51:00.000-05:002018-08-23T00:07:50.237-05:00It's Time For Ice Cream<span style="font-size: large;">Those 90 degree temps tempt me to think about ice cream. As I was perusing the cooking section of <a href="http://www.newuses.com/" target="_blank">New Uses</a>, I found a Cuisinart ice cream maker for....drum roll please.....$17!!! They retail for $55!! It appeared brand new!!! So I think to myself...hmmm..probably doesn't work. New Uses has a 7 day return policy so I walked out with my ice cream maker and into the alien and blissful world of home-made ice cream. But where to start? There are thousands of recipes on line. My go to blog for all things dessert is Anna's <a href="http://www.cookiemadness.net/" target="_blank">Cookie Madness</a>. She suggested this <a href="http://www.cookiemadness.net/2013/06/vanilla-gelato-and-my-oh-so-fabulous-vanilla-collection/" target="_blank">Vanilla Gelato</a> recipe. I liked that it was a simple, straightforward recipe. Plus, if my new, used machine didn't work, I wouldn't have wasted too many ingredients. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">My first attempt was a success!! **No scrambled eggs!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The recipe below is supposed to have a vanilla bean. I don't normally have vanilla beans. I omitted it and the vanilla extract and replaced the vanilla with 1 teaspoon banana extract. I tasted the custard after it was cooked, but before it morphed into ice cream . Thought I'd gone to heaven!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">You need to try this recipe!!! Also, pour your favorite chocolate sauce over the banana flavored ice cream. You won't be disappointed. One thing about the texture though. Because it uses more milk than cream, it comes out a little less creamy than ice cream, but not too icy for me (there is a price to be paid for everything and less fat is no exception). Once it melts a bit, you will know what gelato heaven is!</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5QjXKpa2qUM/UcPF9RzfM1I/AAAAAAAAAUY/3EWd3G4BMpo/s1600/IMG_4774.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5QjXKpa2qUM/UcPF9RzfM1I/AAAAAAAAAUY/3EWd3G4BMpo/s400/IMG_4774.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">My new used ice cream maker and banana gelato!!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Adapted from <a href="http://www.cookiemadness.net/2013/06/vanilla-gelato-and-my-oh-so-fabulous-vanilla-collection/" target="_blank">Cookie Madness</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients</span></div>
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<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">2 cups whole milk</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 cup heavy whipping cream</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: inherit;">4 large egg yolks</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">2/3 cup granulated sugar</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 pinch of salt-I used 1/8 teaspoon</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 teaspoon banana extract</span></li>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Instructions</span></div>
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<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions" style="background-position: 0px 50%; font-weight: normal; line-height: inherit; list-style: decimal outside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">In a mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks with the sugar and salt until they become pale yellow. Set aside</span></li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions" style="background-position: 0px 50%; font-weight: normal; line-height: inherit; list-style: decimal outside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: inherit;">In a saucepan, combine the milk and cream. Heat over medium heat, stirring often, until mixture is 170 degrees F (just hot and no bubbles at all yet). </span></li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions" style="background-position: 0px 50%; font-weight: normal; line-height: inherit; list-style: decimal outside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: inherit;">Slowly pour about half the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly, then pour it all back into the saucepan. Heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until mixture reaches 170-175 degrees F or until the mix coats the back of the wooden spoon and sticks. **DO NOT LET IT BOIL or you will get scrambled eggs. </span></li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions" style="background-position: 0px 50%; font-weight: normal; line-height: inherit; list-style: decimal outside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: inherit;">Remove from heat and pour into a bowl that has a strainer on top of it (to catch any scrambled eggs). Then stir in the banana extract.</span></li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions" style="background-position: 0px 50%; font-weight: normal; line-height: inherit; list-style: decimal outside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: inherit;">Let cool slightly at room temperature and then chill thoroughly (at least several hours. I chilled mine over night).</span></li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions" style="background-position: 0px 50%; font-weight: normal; line-height: inherit; list-style: decimal outside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: inherit;">Pour into ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer’s directions. Freeze for another hour or so before serving.</span></li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions" style="background-position: 0px 50%; line-height: inherit; list-style: decimal outside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: inherit;">Tips: <u><b>A</b></u>: </span><span style="font-weight: normal; line-height: inherit;">Have a clean bowl and strainer ready for the hot custard so you don't have to frantically yell at your husband, wife, housemate, or kids to get a bowl and a strainer at the last minute. </span><span style="line-height: inherit;"><b><u>B</u></b></span><span style="line-height: inherit;">: To easily separate the egg yolks, crack them and then pour into your clean hands. Let the whites slip out between your fingers into a bowl if you want to use them for something else later. Works every time. <b><u>C</u></b>: Cover the custard with plastic wrap before you refrigerate it so that it touches the custard. That way no "skin" will develop. <b><u>D</u></b>: <a href="http://sweets.seriouseats.com/2012/07/whats-the-difference-between-gelato-and-ice-cream.html" style="font-weight: normal;" target="_blank">Serious Eats</a> has good info. on ice cream and gelato and the science of ice crystals and other issues you may have with some recipes.</span></span></li>
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<br />Baking Ribbonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00316742071505469593noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5270568193229889345.post-19060654999204121842013-03-25T23:44:00.004-05:002013-03-28T09:38:14.967-05:00Passover Sweet and Sour Meatballs <span style="font-size: large;">It is no secret Passover is traditionally NOT a good time to begin a health-food diet. I usually post baked goods, but today I'm posting a Sweet and Sour Meatball recipe that is about as good as dessert. To me, anyway! Since the recipe uses brown sugar and apricot preserves, it qualifies as dessert-like. I know everyone who celebrates Passover has probably made theirs already and you probably have an old standby that your relatives made, but these are easy, delicious, and worth a try. No one could find my grandmother's recipe. I knew she used a citrus soda pop and brown sugar, but I didn't remember any of the other details. It took me years of trying out less successful recipes (my family can confirm) to finally get everyone's favorite. The secret is lots of eggs and onions. I also cook the meatballs in the sauce. I used to bake the meatballs and then add them to the sauce later because it was easier to skim off the hamburger fat. I don't eat these meatballs often and they taste much better cooked in the sauce so it is a guilty pleasure I'm not going to mess with.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here is the recipe...</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Approximate assembly time 30 minutes</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Approximate cooking time: 60 minutes</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>For the utensils you will need</b></u>:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">8 quart Stock pot</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">large mixing bowl</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">cookie sheet</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>For the meatball mixture you will need</u></b>:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">3 pounds of lean ground beef-I use about 85% lean. This time I used ground beef, but I have also used a mixture of 2 pounds ground beef and 1 pound ground turkey.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">6 large eggs</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">1 1/2 cups matzoh meal</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">1 medium finely chopped onion</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">1/2 cup tomato ketchup</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">2 teaspoons salt</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>For the sauce you will need</u></b>:</span></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">12 ounce jar of apricot preserves (or any other fruit preserve)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">2 small cans (6 oz each) of tomato paste</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">15 ounce can of tomato sauce</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">1 can (10 3/4 oz) of tomato soup +1 can of water</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">26 ounce can of Hunt's plain spaghetti sauce (or any other brand you like)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">1 cup brown sugar firmly packed</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">2 medium finely chopped onions</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">3 or 4 tablespoons of lemon juice</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">2 teaspoons salt</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Directions</u></b>:</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Make sauce first. Put all of the sauce ingredients into an 8 quart pan. Heat and stir sauce on medium until it begins to boil. Stir occasionally so the bottom doesn't burn. While the sauce is heating up, make the meatballs.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">You will need a large bowl. Add six eggs and beat with a fork or eggbeater just until they are blended. Add the chopped onions, ketchup, salt, matzoh meal, and stir until well combined. Add the hamburger and mix until combined well. I use rubber gloves for this part. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Roll meatballs so they are about an inch and a half in diameter. Set the meatballs on a cookie sheet as you roll them. When you are finished rolling meatballs, drop them one by one into the boiling sauce. REDUCE TEMPERATURE TO MEDIUM LOW. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Cook for 30 minutes gently stirring a couple of times from the bottom up. At the end of the first 30 minutes stir so that meatballs on the bottom are redistributed to the top. Cook for another 30 minutes.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Notes</u></b>: The meatballs will not all be covered by sauce at first. I sometimes spoon a little sauce from the side up and over the top meatballs trying hard not to break any of them. As the sauce and meatballs cook down, they will sink.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">If you decide to bake the meatballs and then add them to the sauce-or just eat them plain, reduce the salt in them by 1/2 teaspoon. </span></div>
Baking Ribbonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00316742071505469593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5270568193229889345.post-18858552479375604822013-03-16T21:32:00.000-05:002013-03-16T22:23:33.491-05:00Coconut Cupcakes With Cocoa Buttercream Frosting<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you are a Mounds bar fan, you will love these cupcakes! I was browsing my favorite blogs and found <a href="http://www.cookiemadness.net/2013/02/white-mountain-coconut-cupcakes-2/" target="_blank">White Mountain Coconut Cupcakes</a> on Cookie Madness. They looked fairly simple to make and I love coconut so I thought I would give them a try. I didn't have cake flour so I improvised with the standard substitution of 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to replace 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour. DON'T DO IT!!! The weird thing is the cupcakes ended up tasting like corn muffins. I like corn muffins, but not so sure I liked them with the chocolate frosting though....So, I decided to cave in and invest in cake flour. Glad I did. These cupcakes were tender and had a faint flavor of coconut. I did improvise on the cupcake and made up my own chocolate buttercream frosting (most of them are too sweet for me) by combining a few different recipes to come up with my favorite chocolate buttercream frosting.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZM1wTbdVfsY/UUUH_VCRfGI/AAAAAAAAATU/Vcn2Kb8F9d0/s1600/IMG_9555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZM1wTbdVfsY/UUUH_VCRfGI/AAAAAAAAATU/Vcn2Kb8F9d0/s400/IMG_9555.JPG" width="391" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
You'll have to excuse the cupcake model-I'm not good at dressing and posing models.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
<b><u>Here is my slightly modified recipe:</u></b></span><br />
<br />
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 1/4 cups cake flour</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 teaspoon baking powder</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 stick (8 tablespoons) salted butter at room temperature (add 1/4 teaspoon salt if using unsalted butter.)</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 cup granulated sugar</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2 large eggs at room temperature</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 teaspoon vanilla extract</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/2 cup room temperature coconut milk (I used full fat, not reduced fat)</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut, not toasted.</span></li>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Chocolate Buttercream Frosting by Gloria:</span></u></b><br />
<br />
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 stick salted butter (8 tablespoons)</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2 cups powdered sugar</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/2-3/4 cup regular unsweetened cocoa (not Dutch process)</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/4 cup (approximately 1.5 ounces) semi sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/3 cup coconut milk or more if needed</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 cup sweetened shredded coconut lightly toasted plus a 1/3 cup of un-toasted coconut**</span></li>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: inherit;"><u><b>Instructions for Cupcakes:</b></u></span><br /><span style="line-height: inherit;">Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: inherit;">Line 12 cupcake cups with paper liners.</span><br /><span style="line-height: inherit;">Mix the flour, baking powder and salt ( if using unsalted butter) in a bowl and set aside.</span><br /><span style="line-height: inherit;">In a medium sized mixing bowl beat the butter and sugar on medium speed for about five minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each egg is incorporated. Add the vanilla and beat well.</span><br /><span style="line-height: inherit;">Beat in half the flour on lowest speed. When flour is blended, beat in the coconut milk. Beat until blended, then add the rest of the flour mixture and beat on lowest speed until smooth. Stir in the 1/2 cup of shredded coconut.</span><br /><span style="line-height: inherit;">Fill each cupcake liner about 2/3 full and bake for about 22 minutes or until cupcakes bounce back when touched. Mine were done in about 21 minutes. Frost as soon as they are room temperature.</span><br /><br /><b><u>Make the frosting:</u></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Melt chocolate in a microwave proof measuring cup for about 30 seconds on high. Stir until completely melted. Set-aside.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Beat room temperature butter with an electric mixer for a few minutes or until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl mix 2 cups of powdered sugar with cocoa until well combined. Blend sugar mixture alternately with coconut milk beating well after each addition. Add melted chocolate and beat until smooth.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Immediately after frosting cupcakes sprinkle toasted shredded coconut on top. Otherwise they won't stick to the frosting after it sets up. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Frosting tip learned from a video posted on Cookie Madness:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">cover the whole top of the cupcake with a layer of frosting so you don't see any of the cake. This helps prevent the cupcake from drying out. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">** Toast coconut by spreading it out on a cookie sheet lined with foil. Heat the oven to 350 and bake for about three minutes. Remove from oven and stir. You want less than half of the coconut to be brown. When cool, I mix in about a 1/3 cup of un-toasted shredded coconut.</span><span style="background-color: #f2fcfc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div>
Baking Ribbonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00316742071505469593noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5270568193229889345.post-12096324978667491042013-02-26T16:09:00.001-06:002013-07-24T13:08:07.492-05:00Hummingbird Carrot Cake, Lying Tooth-picks, and Accidental Granola<br />
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<span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I had the good fortune to eat the <a href="http://www.shrimpshackusa.com/location.html" target="_blank">Shrimp Shack</a> in Fort Myers this winter. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The fish was good, but the hush puppies (best I've had) and hummingbird cake were OOTW! I wanted the recipe for the cake BAD!!!!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I called the Shrimp Shack and found out it would cost about $50 to ship a whole cake to Minnesota. Hmm...I did consider it. I liked it that much. Well, some sense kicked in (my bank statement actually) so I decided to make one myself. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #111111; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.399999618530273px;">My go-to site is <a href="http://www.cookiemadness.net/2008/05/hummingbird-cake/" target="_blank">Cookie Madness</a> to see what Anna has in her recipe box. </span></span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 18.399999618530273px;">Sure enough, she posted a </span><a href="http://www.cookiemadness.net/2008/05/hummingbird-cake/" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 18.399999618530273px;" target="_blank">hummingbird cake</a><span style="color: #111111; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 18.399999618530273px;"> recipe. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #111111; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.399999618530273px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #111111; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.399999618530273px;">I baked mine in a 9 x 13 pan. I did not let it bake long enough. At 42 minutes I took it out-the toothpick was clean. Did you know toothpicks can lie? </span></span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 18.399999618530273px;">The whole center caved in a bit after it cooled. I cut just the outside of the cake all the way around and ended up with 3 bread loaf pan shaped pieces. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #111111; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.399999618530273px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wGa_exRC04s/US0q8JL3hmI/AAAAAAAAAS0/JqwvAxi1Uto/s1600/cake+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="345" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wGa_exRC04s/US0q8JL3hmI/AAAAAAAAAS0/JqwvAxi1Uto/s400/cake+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #111111; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.399999618530273px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #111111; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.399999618530273px;">And what did I do with the underdone center? Well, I made lemonade out of lemons. I cut the raw-ish cake into bite-size pieces, threw them on a baking sheet, and let them dry out in a 300 degree oven for about 30 minutes-maybe longer ( I was not timing it exactly). I stirred them a couple times. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #111111; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.399999618530273px;">They were crispy, tasty, a bit like granola since they had fruit and nuts in them, and I didn't waste all those delicious ingredients. I can mix them in yogurt or cereal. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #111111; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.399999618530273px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hj2wzvMUR3w/US0uu4XuaYI/AAAAAAAAATE/qCEVKxvlY3Q/s1600/IMG_8672.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hj2wzvMUR3w/US0uu4XuaYI/AAAAAAAAATE/qCEVKxvlY3Q/s400/IMG_8672.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #111111; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.399999618530273px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #111111; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.399999618530273px;">Yes, they look like hamburger or stuffing. Oh well. They taste better than they look.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Here is Anna's </span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Hummingbird Cake turned into a carrot cake with a few of my changes:</span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.2pt;">
<span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><u><b>Ingredients:</b></u> </span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.2pt;">
<span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">3 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1 teaspoon baking soda<br />
1 teaspoon salt<br />
2 cups sugar<br />
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon<br />
3 large eggs, beaten<br />
1 cup vegetable oil</span><br />
<span style="color: #111111; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained</span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br />
1.5 cup chopped toasted pecans --divided use!</span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.2pt;">
<span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">2 cups mashed bananas (it
took 4 or 5 medium to make 2 cups)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.2pt;">
<span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1 cup shredded carrots (I might add 1.5 cups next time)</span><br />
<span style="color: #111111; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Cream Cheese Frosting-my adaptation of Anna's recipe below.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><u><b>Directions:</b></u></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.2pt;">
<span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray (2) 9-inch round cake pans or
a 9 x 13 pan with flour-added cooking spray or rub with shortening and dust
with flour.<br />
Stir flour, soda, salt, sugar and cinnamon together in a large mixing bowl. Set aside. Add
eggs, mashed bananas, and oil into another mixing bowl and mix well together by hand. Then add that wet mix to the dry, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened. (Do not
beat.) </span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.2pt;">
<span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Stir in pineapple and 1 cup pecans-**save the 1/2 cup for topping. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 18.85pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.2pt;">
<span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Pour batter into cake pans and
bake for 25 to 30 minutes (in a 9 x 13 bake at least 45 minutes) or until a
wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10
minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks (I left the cake
in my 9 x 13 pan).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 18.85pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.2pt;">
<span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between
layers and on top and sides of cake; sprinkle 1/2 cup chopped pecans on top.
Store in refrigerator.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 18.85pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.2pt;">
<span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">16 servings<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.2pt;">
<span style="color: #111111; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"><u><b>Cream Cheese Frosting</b></u></span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.2pt;">
<span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened<br />
8 tablespoons (8 oz) salted butter at room temperature<br />1.5 cups powdered sugar</span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">½ teaspoon orange extract or one teaspoon vanilla. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">(add 1/8 teaspoon salt if using unsalted butter)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 18.85pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.2pt;">
<span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Beat cream cheese and butter
at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add powdered
sugar, beating at low speed until light and fluffy. Beat in extract. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Baking Ribbonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00316742071505469593noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5270568193229889345.post-80417404830716064142013-02-18T00:48:00.000-06:002013-02-18T00:48:32.274-06:00No Need To Knead<span style="font-family: inherit;">For some reason I was in the mood for baking bread the other day (Maybe because I live in Minnesota and the weather keeps me cooped up in the house.) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I discovered no-knead bread a while back when looking for a dairy free, egg free, iodized salt free recipe. I am not on the dairy free, egg free and iodized salt free diet now so I can have eggs, butter, milk, and regular salt. I also get to have the extra 10 pounds they put on me (of course it's not MY fault!) I tweaked a no- knead whole wheat bread recipe I found on the King Arthur's website. They claim it is so easy you can do it with one hand tied behind your back. Apparently the King Arthur official blogger for this bread did just that. Another piece of information I found out is that King Arthur's baking hotline does work-even on the weekends there is a baker staff member waiting to answer your questions. I was impressed! So, without further delay, here is the recipe for <a href="http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/no-knead-100-whole-wheat-bread-recipe" target="_blank">KA no-knead whole wheat bread</a>.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VLEqufTXsRA/USHORwRc3HI/AAAAAAAAASk/m-1dLhShiQA/s1600/bread+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VLEqufTXsRA/USHORwRc3HI/AAAAAAAAASk/m-1dLhShiQA/s400/bread+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #282828; font-family: inherit;">For me it came out perfect! Sliced easily even when warm (yup, couldn't wait.) You need a stand mixer with the paddle attachment for this recipe. Changes I made because I didn't have orange juice or powdered milk or enough whole wheat flour: Substituted 1 cup bread flour for 1 one cup WW. Used 1 cup of 1% milk instead of 1 cup water. Used 1 teaspoon lemon juice and added milk to equal 1/4 cup. I mixed all dry ing. together in my KitchenAid mixing bowl. I mixed 3 T of molasses into the cold milk and then heated it to luke warm in the micro.</span>Baking Ribbonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00316742071505469593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5270568193229889345.post-42409695736376002642012-12-06T18:09:00.002-06:002012-12-07T00:49:45.482-06:00ORANGE FLAVOURED CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE BARS<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Have you ever heard of a healthy chocolate chip cookie bar? No? Me either! I did however find a not-so-unhealthy chocolate chip cookie dough recipe on <a href="http://www.cookiemadness.net/2012/09/all-bran-cereal-box/" target="_blank">Cookie Madness</a>. It uses Kellogg's All Bran cereal. I get a lot of inspiration from Anna's site. Her recipes are tried and true. Then I mess around with them! This recipe was forgiving with the changes I made and actually came out better than I expected! That is kind of why I made them into bars rather than spending extra time making cookies-I was not sure if my changes would ruin them or not. </span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vPxwxId6JHY/UMGPOAwgTAI/AAAAAAAAASQ/segqjYt-Kb0/s1600/bars+birds+058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vPxwxId6JHY/UMGPOAwgTAI/AAAAAAAAASQ/segqjYt-Kb0/s400/bars+birds+058.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In keeping with the Kellogg's healthy All Bran theme, I substituted a half of a cup of whole wheat flour for one half of a cup of white flour. Because I wanted to ensure they did not taste "healthy", I added a little more brown sugar and a little less white sugar. (The bars are a little softer because of this. Next time I might go back to Anna's original recipe of 3/4 cups brown and 3/4 cups white sugar). I also added 3/4 teaspoon of orange extract instead of vanilla hoping it would hide any "healthy" flavour! (It worked). I left the nuts out of my first go at this recipe. Because there is enough salt in this dough (they are not salty!), you don't need the nuts to cut the richness or the sweetness. Plus, when I'm experimenting, I don't use the nuts because they are expensive! Anyway, these bars are delicious. No one would have a clue there is anything healthy in them! I had four open chocolate chip bags of various flavours. I mixed them all together and ended up with the 2 cups needed for this recipe. I had fun squishing up the empty bags with frayed twist ties and throwing them away! </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">See the link above for the original recipe. My changed recipe is below.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-auIPW3Q5Rxs/UMEzFVaCSmI/AAAAAAAAARw/n2ossMR8hFE/s1600/bars+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-auIPW3Q5Rxs/UMEzFVaCSmI/AAAAAAAAARw/n2ossMR8hFE/s400/bars+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ingredients:</span></span><br />
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<li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/2 cup Kellogg's All Bran cereal</span></li>
</ul>
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<li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/4 cup hot water</span></li>
</ul>
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<li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 stick salted butter softened, but not melted.</span></li>
</ul>
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<li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/4 cup vegetable oil or extra light olive oil</span></li>
</ul>
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<li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 cup golden brown sugar</span></li>
</ul>
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<li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/2 cup white sugar</span></li>
</ul>
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<li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2 large eggs</span></li>
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<li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3/4 teaspoon orange extract</span></li>
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<li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2 cups all-purpose presifted flour</span></li>
</ul>
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<li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/2 cup whole wheat flour</span></li>
</ul>
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<li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 teaspoon baking soda</span></li>
</ul>
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<li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">heaping 1/4 teaspoon salt</span></li>
</ul>
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<li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2 cups chocolate chips (I used bittersweet, semi sweet, and white)</span></li>
</ul>
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<li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 cup chopped, toasted nuts of your choice (optional)</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Directions:</span><br />
<ol>
<li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Preheat oven to 325°. Lightly spray a 9 x 13" baking pan with non-stick spray or line with nonstick foil.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pour the All Bran into a small bowl and pour the hot water over it. Mix it up a little bit and let sit until it softens and turns mushy.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In a medium-sized bowl combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix thoroughly. Set aside.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In a large mixing bowl cream the softened butter with the sugars and oil until well combined. Add eggs and orange extract. Beat only until well combined. </span></li>
<li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Add the All Bran to the wet mixture and mix in until fully incorporated</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix together on the lowest setting until JUST fully combined. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts if you are using them.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pour into the prepared pan and pat down so the batter is evenly distributed.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bake on the middle rack of a 325° oven for approximately 28 minutes. Check at about 25 minutes as ovens vary.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Let cool for about an hour. Cut them into squares before the chips harden. You don't need to remove them from the pan yet, but cutting them after the chips harden is the mistake I mad</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">e!!!</span></li>
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Baking Ribbonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00316742071505469593noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5270568193229889345.post-72452207750170876942012-11-04T01:52:00.000-05:002012-11-04T10:53:13.425-06:005-Star Pumpkin Praline TorteIt has been months since my last post. I can't believe time went by so fast! I did a lot of gardening, photography, and State Fair entry baking this summer. Now to dust off my blog!<br />
I made my favorite Thanksgiving dessert today and thought I'd post it for you before TG. I received the recipe from a work buddy years ago. Then I altered it a bit. No surprise there! Then I saw it posted on the <a href="http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Praline-Pumpkin-Torte" target="_blank">Taste of Home</a> website.<br />
It has never, ever received a bad review from anyone (at least not in front of me!)<br />
People taste it and you see this look of happy amazement on their faces. Not even crumbs are left on plates!!! All reviewers rated it 5 out of 5 stars on Taste of Home.<br />
Here are a few photos.<br />
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Just out of the oven</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-taEYiLYrOtE/UJYbq6leLnI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/_nQpd-O2I2w/s1600/birds+party+cake+031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-taEYiLYrOtE/UJYbq6leLnI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/_nQpd-O2I2w/s400/birds+party+cake+031.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fEy1TjmgCkQ/UJYbt-u2AuI/AAAAAAAAARA/MjNXvARJ9qM/s1600/birds+party+cake+037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fEy1TjmgCkQ/UJYbt-u2AuI/AAAAAAAAARA/MjNXvARJ9qM/s400/birds+party+cake+037.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Frosted</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-30VibpCJFgQ/UJYcTG82x4I/AAAAAAAAARM/_xDkkTMCqQc/s1600/whole+cake+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-30VibpCJFgQ/UJYcTG82x4I/AAAAAAAAARM/_xDkkTMCqQc/s400/whole+cake+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Sliced and ready to eat</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SutquRaJI-g/UJYcwDZovqI/AAAAAAAAARU/liTMSOhROuc/s1600/cake+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SutquRaJI-g/UJYcwDZovqI/AAAAAAAAARU/liTMSOhROuc/s400/cake+4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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You can see a caramel-coated pecan trying to fall out </div>
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of the middle. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GwezoGxI16I/UJYc1v2LtJI/AAAAAAAAARc/fWPYPgR2NzE/s1600/pumpkin+cake+2+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GwezoGxI16I/UJYc1v2LtJI/AAAAAAAAARc/fWPYPgR2NzE/s400/pumpkin+cake+2+002.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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You can get the recipe from the <a href="http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Praline-Pumpkin-Torte" target="_blank">Taste of Home</a> site, but here are my IMPORTANT TO ME changes:<br />
1. I put a large cookie sheet on the bottom of the oven while it is preheating to catch the possible drips from the caramel.<br />
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2. I use real butter to coat and then lightly flour the pans. Never had a cake stick.<br />
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3. I use only one 15 oz can of pumpkin. That is about 1 1/2 cups, not two. The<br />
change makes the cake lighter.<br />
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4. I use 1/4 teaspoon of orange extract in the batter instead of vanilla.<br />
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5. I only bake it for 30 min. Check at 25 or so. Less pumpkin causes it to bake up faster.<br />
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6. Only cool for 4 or 5 minutes in the pan MAX. When removing the cakes from the pans after about 4 minutes of cooling, you will see caramel and nuts still in the pans. I put the pans back into the oven for about 2 min. and then scrape the remaining softened caramel out and drizzle over the cakes. (I save some to eat-it is amazingly delicious!!!)<br />
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7. I use 1/4 teaspoon of orange extract in the whipped cream topping. <br />
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8. Hints for the whipped cream: put the bowl and beaters in the freezer about 15 min before you use them. The colder the cream, the faster it whips up. <br />
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9. I use a product called <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dr-Oetker-Stabilizer-Whipping-Packets/dp/B000NY8OLU" target="_blank">Whip It</a> to stabilize the whipped cream so the cake can sit out for a few hours without the frosting melting.<br />
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10. Use a large, sharp knife to slice it. As you can see in my photos, I didn't. <br />
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I sure hope you try this cake!Baking Ribbonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00316742071505469593noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5270568193229889345.post-56975633796860652552012-06-10T22:59:00.000-05:002012-06-10T22:59:18.505-05:00Easy, Fresh, Corny SalsaEvery year I wait for a certain vendor to show up at our local farmer's market with his home made corny salsa. A small jar is over $7! This year I couldn't wait and since I'm not working now, I thought I would try saving some money on salsa by making my own. I thought how hard could it be to find a good salsa recipe on line? You can find everything online! Guess what? It wasn't hard at all! I found two right off the bat! So, my recipe below is an adaptation of Tyler Florence's Salsa Fresca and Rob Barrett's Cooking For Dad's recipe on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_evFB7RIKA">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_evFB7RIKA</a> This guy is from Minnesota and so am I. Many of us don't like fire-breathing dragon spicy food and he takes that into consideration with his recipe.<br />
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I hope you enjoy my version!<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><u><b>What you will need</b></u>:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Food processor-or get ready for lots of chopping.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">4 large or 5 small Roma tomatoes </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">1 green pepper-use half or the whole thing. Cut into quarters.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">1/3 of a large peeled sweet onion</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">1/2 jalapeno with seeds for spicy and without seeds for mild</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">8-10 cilantro sprigs (important for flavor!-I use six because hubby is cilantro challenged) </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">2-3 peeled garlic cloves finely minced, or equivalent garlic powder</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">1/2 cup fresh off the cob or frozen corn-not canned. If using frozen, do not defrost.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">1/2 teaspoon salt</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">juice of one lime</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><u>Directions</u></b>:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Wash all vegetables well.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Slice tomatoes in half and with your finger scoop out the seeds and juice-throw seeds and juice out. Throw tomatoes into the food processor.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Slice the green pepper in half, scoop out the seeds, and throw them out with the stem. Quarter it and throw into the food processor.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Slice the 1/3 of an onion in half and throw into the food processor.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Slice the jalapeno and put in as much as you would like. I like mild salsa so I use ½ without seeds.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Break cilantro sprigs in half and throw into the food processor.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Add the remaining items to the food processor and pulse to get the desired consistency.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">This recipe makes about 3 cups of salsa-Enough for a couple bags of Tostitos brand scoops!</div>Baking Ribbonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00316742071505469593noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5270568193229889345.post-82835109803169273922012-04-28T20:54:00.000-05:002012-04-28T20:57:50.562-05:00Veggie Delight Lasagna<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The high today in Minnesota was 44° and that was before noon. They told us we could possibly get snow! Here I was ready to plant my annuals and instead I decided it was a good day for baking. I once tasted my cousin Frank's vegetable lasagna. I was in the mood for it and had friends coming for lunch who like veggies. I remembered his was delicious. So I called him up. I was thrilled when he said he would give the recipe to me. Then he just started dictating! I was scared. When someone is not reading a written recipe, it makes me think they will forget something. So I wrote while he spoke. My post today is proof Frank has an excellent memory and an excellent recipe! I did change one or two things and added one or two things, but this recipe lends itself to improvisation. Without further ado, here it is!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6TyOCXZWwzQ/T5ybddNXK-I/AAAAAAAAAQY/eochh1frInI/s1600/lasagna+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="272" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6TyOCXZWwzQ/T5ybddNXK-I/AAAAAAAAAQY/eochh1frInI/s400/lasagna+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cousin Frank's and Gloria's veggie lasagna<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My friend's rescued puppy Bronte looking hungry for lasagna!!!</td></tr>
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<u><b>Ingredients</b></u>:</div>
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One small box no boil lasagna noodles</div>
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About a ¼ cup
olive or other vegetable oil</div>
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1 medium
onion, chopped</div>
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2 cloves
garlic, chopped</div>
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16 oz sliced
small baby bella or crimini mushrooms for divided use</div>
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24 oz can Hunt's pasta sauce or your favorite pasta sauce</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
1 large bag
rinsed and dried fresh spinach (the bags are about 7 ounces or so. ) *You may substitute frozen spinach
that has been thawed and well drained. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
1 cup
shredded carrots ( my addition)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
½ cup half
and half creamer or cream (my addition)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
32 oz container
ricotta cheese </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
2 large
eggs. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
1 cup
shredded parmesan cheese, divided use.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
18 slices
mozzarella cheese. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><u>Getting Ready</u></b>:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Preheat oven
to 350</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Spray a 9 x 13
pan with non-stick spray. Set aside. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Spray the foil which will be covering the pan during baking or use non stick foil for covering the pan. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<b><u>For the sauce</u></b>:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
Pour the vegetable oil into a large saucepan. Set heat to medium and sauté chopped onion
until it is translucent (you can kind of begin to see through it). Then add 8
oz only of mushrooms and cook for a few minutes. Then add garlic and continue
to cook for a few minutes so mushrooms lose their moisture and shrink. When the mushrooms are cooked stir in the 32
ounce container of pasta sauce and pour in the bag of spinach. Cook on medium low so the sauce just barely simmers
uncovered for about 20 minutes. Remove
from heat and stir in 1/2 cup half and half or cream AND 1 cup shredded
carrots.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<b><u>For the ricotta layer:<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
Scoop out approximately 2/3 of a 32 ounce container of ricotta and put it into a
medium-sized mixing bowl. Stir in eggs and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Stir until
well combined.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<b><u>To assemble</u></b>:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
To the sprayed pan add about a quarter cup of sauce to spread over the
bottom. Use a little more if you need
to. Then add a layer of noodles. Break to fit them if necessary. Spread some sauce over the noodles. Then
place half of the remaining mushrooms evenly on top of the sauce. Lay six
slices of mozzarella cheese over them. Then spread half of the ricotta mixture
over the mozzarella cheese. Repeat. You
will end up with the ricotta mixture on top. Add six slices of mozzarella
cheese on top of the ricotta and sprinkle top with one half cup Parmesan or to taste. Bake covered for 30 minutes and uncovered for about 20 minutes or until cheese on top turns golden. Note: you can assemble this lasagna and
refrigerate it overnight. Then you will need to add 15 extra minutes or so to the
"covered" baking time.</div>Baking Ribbonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00316742071505469593noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5270568193229889345.post-36056299262426234912012-04-16T16:20:00.000-05:002012-04-16T16:20:46.541-05:00Good day for chicken soup!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>It snowed a half a foot or more somewhere in MN to day, so today's recipe is chicken soup...<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-edw3b2tk4zQ/T4xs3NWsI7I/AAAAAAAAAQQ/7nZw5nt8LxE/s1600/soup+close+up+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="222" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-edw3b2tk4zQ/T4xs3NWsI7I/AAAAAAAAAQQ/7nZw5nt8LxE/s400/soup+close+up+6.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chicken vegetable soup</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">You just can't predict soup weather in Minnesota! In March we had an 80° day. Today northern Minnesota got 8 inches of snow. We all go figure.</div><div style="text-align: left;">I was totally getting overdosed on brownies so I decided to make something healthy for a change. This recipe has evolved over the years so now I call it completely my own (especially since I add an ingredient most people don't add, but it makes a delicious soup.)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><u>Recipe</u>:</div><div style="text-align: left;">3 1/2 or 4 pound cut up fryer</div><div style="text-align: left;">6 unpeeled carrots cut in thirds</div><div style="text-align: left;">2 onions peeled and quartered (I use yellow or white onions)</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 parsnip cut in thirds</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 yam cut in thirds</div><div style="text-align: left;">2 stalks of celery cut in quarters</div><div style="text-align: left;">4 cloves garlic peeled, but not smashed</div><div style="text-align: left;">1.5 tablespoons salt</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><u>To add after soup is completely done: </u></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">1 package peeled mini carrots</div><div style="text-align: left;">2 cups sliced celery</div><div style="text-align: left;">Broccoli florets..to taste. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><u>Directions</u>:</div><div style="text-align: left;">Place chicken in an 8 quart stock pan. Fill with cold water until chicken is just covered. Bring the water to a boil and then boil for about five minutes. While waiting for the boil, wash the parsnip and carrots and celery and prepare the vegetables. Set aside. Skim the foam out of the pan as it boils. Add salt to boiling chicken. Add prepared vegetables and simmer for about an hour and 15 minutes. Remove chicken to a separate bowl. Remove chicken meat and return skin and bones back to the soup. Simmer for another hour (if I am pressed for time, I don't put the skin and bones back in and don't simmer for another hour.) Strain soup to remove all cooked vegetables and debris. So now you can do a couple of different things. If I use all dark meat (thighs or legs), I cool the soup, put it in the refrigerator overnight, and then take all the fat off the top before reheating it and adding the mini carrots and celery and broccoli. If you use less fatty chicken,</div><div style="text-align: left;">then as soon as you strain the soup, put it back on the heat and add mini carrots and celery. DO NOT ADD BROCCOLI YET! Simmer for about half an hour. Then turn off heat, add broccoli, and wait for about 20 minutes. Add chicken meat. The broccoli will be cooked and the soup will be ready to eat!</div>Baking Ribbonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00316742071505469593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5270568193229889345.post-68166940296390935192012-04-13T11:52:00.009-05:002012-04-13T13:27:04.479-05:00Guilt Free, I mean Gluten Free Brownies (ok for Passover too!)<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was excited when I looked at the brownie photo on <a href="http://www.cookiemadness.net/2012/04/gluten-free-almond-butter-brownies/" target="_blank">Cookie Madness Gluten Free Almond Butter Brownies</a>. All it takes is a shiny-topped brownie to get my stomach juices going!!! (My tops were not quite as shiny because, well, operator error probably!)</span><br />
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</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yL-e3HTUkIo/T4hQSSVbPoI/AAAAAAAAAQI/kFrNGh-Jd6g/s1600/brownies+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="273" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yL-e3HTUkIo/T4hQSSVbPoI/AAAAAAAAAQI/kFrNGh-Jd6g/s400/brownies+003.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Almond butter brownies with Scarlet Tanager</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And the addition of browned butter also excited me-I am a huge fan! ( And huge will have the literal meaning if I don't stop eating these brownies!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So I hauled my lazy body out of the house in search of almond butter since I had everything else. Well, as I was looking at each jar of almond butter to get the freshest date, I forgot the recipe called for creamy. Of course I brought home a jar of crunchy! That turned out to be a happy accident because these brownies could use a bit of crunchy texture. I did make my usual minor recipe alterations (I just can't help myself). I have to say these brownies produced the best crispy edges I've had! Another thought I had while eating my third, yes third! brownie was that adding chocolate chips to the batter before baking would have been overkill-and I like chocolate chips in brownies most of the time. You can cut these after cooled like regular brownies, or scoop them out while still a little warm and serve with vanilla ice cream.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Please try these brownies; you will not be disappointed if you like fudgy, a little nutty, and rich brownies! </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thank you Anna for posting these.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">See the link at the top of this post for the recipe from Cookie madness. </span><br />
<div class="instructions" style="color: #111111; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><ol style="list-style-position: outside; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 30px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></ol></div>Baking Ribbonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00316742071505469593noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5270568193229889345.post-54660606920382872592012-03-21T21:52:00.001-05:002012-03-21T22:43:40.220-05:00Anna's adapted Deluxe 8 Inch Pan BrowniesI was so excited to see Anna's post on Cookie Madness <a href="http://www.cookiemadness.net/2012/03/deluxe-8-inch-pan-brownies/" target="_blank">here</a> today! I tried it as soon as I saw it. Sometimes a recipe just hits me hard between the eyes! Also, I had all the simple ingredients. I only made ONE, yes, ONE change! I followed her recipe exactly except I used salted butter (omitted the extra salt), and added 2 more tablespoons of flour, and used decaffeinated coffee. OK. You caught me. I made THREE changes! The crust is crispy and from Anna's teaching, I believe that is from beating the eggs for 3 minutes...They came out a little fudgier for me, but that may be because I just might have under baked them a bit. I added the extra flour and I believe that helped the chocolate chips stay dispersed through out the batter and not sink. <br />
If you try them you won't be disappointed! <br />
See Anna's post for the recipe!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZT1iElxgv8Q/T2qSpXgTnGI/AAAAAAAAAP0/6UxzDRdLyj4/s1600/brownies+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZT1iElxgv8Q/T2qSpXgTnGI/AAAAAAAAAP0/6UxzDRdLyj4/s400/brownies+001.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "flashy" photo</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AWLQwF9jaR8/T2qSrwJ4HWI/AAAAAAAAAP8/-8tOcLn2iUw/s1600/brownies+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AWLQwF9jaR8/T2qSrwJ4HWI/AAAAAAAAAP8/-8tOcLn2iUw/s400/brownies+002.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Baking Ribbonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00316742071505469593noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5270568193229889345.post-30578702830778571122012-03-15T17:39:00.001-05:002012-03-17T02:31:06.273-05:00Yummy, shiny, chocolate chip deliciousnessJust a short post to steer you to some excellent CC cookies! Darlene by way of Anna at <a href="http://www.cookiemadness.net/2008/06/new-chocolate-chip-cookie-recipe/" target="_blank">Cookie Madness</a> steered me to these cookies. I made them twice. The first time I added a 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. Not so great. The second time I made them with no changes (for a change). Great. I've eaten and baked a lot of cookies. They are near or at the top of my list. You can get the recipe here: <a href="http://www.cookiemadness.net/2008/06/new-chocolate-chip-cookie-recipe/" target="_blank">Lee's chocolate chip cookies</a> See photos below of CCC and my neighbor's rescued King Charles spaniel mix named Finnegan. He is so cute I can't help but post him!!!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_lZnGBovetw/T2Jte-KiaRI/AAAAAAAAAPc/koL9D9ye8kU/s1600/ccc+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_lZnGBovetw/T2Jte-KiaRI/AAAAAAAAAPc/koL9D9ye8kU/s400/ccc+001.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zjS-xXGDMZo/T2JtgujbDOI/AAAAAAAAAPk/AZcO1H3G2YE/s1600/ccc+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zjS-xXGDMZo/T2JtgujbDOI/AAAAAAAAAPk/AZcO1H3G2YE/s400/ccc+003.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tUpBAGdcMho/T2JvNLMMhmI/AAAAAAAAAPs/EvBLDH8y-nA/s1600/dog+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tUpBAGdcMho/T2JvNLMMhmI/AAAAAAAAAPs/EvBLDH8y-nA/s400/dog+3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Finnegan</div>Baking Ribbonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00316742071505469593noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5270568193229889345.post-27603709253187390822012-03-03T01:00:00.069-06:002018-09-05T01:52:42.823-05:00Easy Cuban-style guava pastelitos (pastelito de guayaba)<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Have you ever tried Cuban pastries? A few years back I fell in love with the Cuban guava pastelitos I purchased at a kosher bakery in Miami Beach called Rolling Pin Kosher bakery. I liked them so much that I purchased 6 more of them and carried them on the plane back to Minnesota. They were the perfect combination of tart and sweet with a flaky, rich, shiny pastry. As you know, Miami is a long way from Minnesota-too far to travel for this treat (even though I have been known to put on some 120 miles to buy my favorite caramels!) so I searched the Internet and came up with a couple of recipes. I was happy to learn Pepperidge Farm Puff pastry could be used for the dough-I don't like to make dough from scratch. It doesn't turn out for me. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> The recipes also called for guava paste and had instructions on how to make it from canned guava shells. So for the last two years I've been lazily checking my local Super mercado to find guava shells in order to make guava paste. I checked local grocery stores also, but I couldn't find guava shells. I didn't think about using guava jelly and it may exist in Minnesota, but I don't know where. So here I was in Fort Myers last December and low and behold not only did they have the guava shells, but they also had pre-made guava paste! So I said to my self who needs to make paste when Publix grocery store is loaded with it! So, I lugged three 21 ounce containers of it home!</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YOHoUmDx50c/T1Fb-Su4RII/AAAAAAAAAO0/sMr4U2bUPaI/s1600/guava+paste+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YOHoUmDx50c/T1Fb-Su4RII/AAAAAAAAAO0/sMr4U2bUPaI/s400/guava+paste+002.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To me guava filling tastes a little bit like rhubarb, but not exactly. Plus guava is a fruit and rhubarb is vegetable. The pre-made paste is thick and does not spread easily on toast unless you microwave it for 15 or 20 seconds. Anyways, I took some tips from <a href="http://icuban.com/food/pastelitos.html" target="_blank">Three Guys from Miami</a>- TGFM (if you look at their site, scroll down to the For The Less Dedicated section) and <a href="http://www.fivestarfoodie.com/2010/03/pastelitos.html" target="_blank">5 Star Foodie</a> and came up with a hybrid First I tried them without cream cheese and in a strudel shape per TGFM.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IOnRk7UQQi8/T1Fdw5yVIxI/AAAAAAAAAO8/dL97T_Pw0N4/s1600/cuban+guava+pastry+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IOnRk7UQQi8/T1Fdw5yVIxI/AAAAAAAAAO8/dL97T_Pw0N4/s400/cuban+guava+pastry+1.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LUKzpkOtDbY/T1Fd0Sy3_QI/AAAAAAAAAPE/H72hvjaShHo/s1600/cuban+guava+pastry+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LUKzpkOtDbY/T1Fd0Sy3_QI/AAAAAAAAAPE/H72hvjaShHo/s400/cuban+guava+pastry+2.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I also sprinkled some sea salt on one of them right after brushing on a simple syrup. I liked it that way.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Next I made another batch with cream cheese, but kept the same shape because it just seemed easier to do it that way rather than making individual pockets. Next time I think I would do the individual pockets because they look better and then you don't have to make a mess trying to cut the pastry.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9KMeOfAYUlk/T1Fi327FloI/AAAAAAAAAPM/Ie8hVte7mEw/s1600/Cuban+pastry+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9KMeOfAYUlk/T1Fi327FloI/AAAAAAAAAPM/Ie8hVte7mEw/s400/Cuban+pastry+002.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hyqq34xDbNw/T1Fi7SMUbUI/AAAAAAAAAPU/ohdcAMnowRg/s1600/Cuban+pastry+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hyqq34xDbNw/T1Fi7SMUbUI/AAAAAAAAAPU/ohdcAMnowRg/s400/Cuban+pastry+004.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It was probably the way I prepared the cream cheese, but I could barely find it in the finished product. It seemed to melt into the guava paste or the pastry and I wanted it to be layered. Oh well!! My taste testers liked the cream cheese pastries better for some reason.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here is the recipe for just the guava filling with a few easy steps. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>Utensils you will need</u>:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1 cookie sheet lined with parchment paper</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1 small saucepan</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1 potato masher </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1 microwaveable bowl</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>Ingredients for simple syrup</u>:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1/2 cup white sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1/2 cup water</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">pinch of salt (about 1/16 of a teaspoon)</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>Ingredients for egg wash</u>:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I large egg</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2 oz water</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>Ingredients for guava filling</u>:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1/3 cup guava paste</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2 teaspoons lemon juice</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>Ingredients for optional cream cheese addition</u>:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">4 ounces cream cheese (Maybe you could use 6 ounces?)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1/2 tablespoon sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1/2 egg ( if you are going to use the cream cheese, beat the one egg listed above for the egg wash (you should have about a quarter cup of egg) and then divide it in half. Mix half with the cream cheese and to what's left of the egg add a tablespoon of water and use that for the egg wash. Beat all ingredients together until smooth. See pictures on how to spread it on top of the guava paste.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>Ingredients for dough</u>:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1/2 package Pepperidge Farm puff pastry sheets, or make your own.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>Optional</u>:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sea salt for sprinkling on top-If using cream cheese I'd leave it off. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>Directions</u>: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Set dough out to thaw per package instructions (set out on a plate for about 40 min at room temperature).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Make simple syrup first. Combine sugar and water in a small pan. Mix together over medium high heat until dissolved then stir until boiling. Reduce heat to low, add pinch of salt, and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mix egg with water and set aside. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Microwave 1/2 cup of guava paste for about 20 seconds. Mash guava paste with 2 teaspoons of lemon juice until it is mostly smooth. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Once dough is almost ready to use, preheat oven to 350°.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-left;">
<span class="instructions"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Cut the pastry dough lengthwise in half and then cut the halves in half again so that you have four long strips of dough. Place two strips of dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use a spoon to spread a stripe of guava filling down the center of each dough strip.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-left;">
<span class="instructions"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Moisten the edges of the dough strips with a little water. Cover each filling covered strip with the remaining two dough strips. Seal the edges on all sides of the dough by pressing and smoothing gently with your hands (some people use fork tines to make a design).</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-left;">
<span class="instructions"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Brush the top with the egg wash (recipe above). Bake approximately 30 to 40 minutes (I baked mine 32 minutes) – pastry should be crisp on top and browning. Remove the pastry strips from the oven and brush with syrup (recipe above). If you are going to use sea salt, this is the time to sprinkle it sparingly on each pastry. Return to oven and bake an additional five or six minutes.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-left;">
<span class="instructions"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Let cool for about 7-10 minutes and then cut the pastries into individual serving-sized squares. The simple syrup coating hardens and makes it difficult to get clean cuts if you wait until it is cool to cut it. </span></span></div>
Baking Ribbonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00316742071505469593noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5270568193229889345.post-37489195978882755072012-02-15T12:06:00.003-06:002012-02-17T00:47:41.733-06:00Valentine’s Day history, Red Velvet cake, and a warning!<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Does anyone know what Valentine’s day really is? There are historical facts and legends and probably a blending of the two is what Valentine’s day is. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I found out some info on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentine's_Day">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentine's_Day</a> a little confusing though!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The name St. Valentine was used by more than one Christian person. They supposedly died as martyrs-so the original celebration was to honor them-no romance involved. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How did it turn in to chocolates and flowers? </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 115%;">Lupercalia</span></b><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 115%;">was a very ancient, possibly pre-</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 115%;">Roman</span><sup><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">]</span></sup><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 115%;"> pastoral festival, observed on February 13 through 15 to avert evil spirits and purify the city, releasing health and fertility. Fertility and love are kinda sorta related…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I found out some sobering information about what happened to a Jewish population in Strasbourg on Valentine’s day in 1349: <a href="http://www.jewishhistory.org.il/history.php?startyear=1340&endyear=1349">http://www.jewishhistory.org.il/history.php?startyear=1340&endyear=1349</a> Scroll down to 1349, February 14. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It seems no romantic love as we recognize it was associated with Valentine’s day until the author Geoffrey Chaucer wrote a poem about St. Valentine’s day in the 1300s-when courtly love was popular. <b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 115%;">Courtly love</span></b><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 115%;">was a<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 115%;">medieval European<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>conception of nobly and<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>chivalrously<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>expressing love and admiration.</span><sup><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"> </span></sup><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 115%;">Generally, courtly love was secret and between members of the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 115%;">nobility.</span> Still not sure why chocolates and flowers became standard...but I'm NOT complaining!!!!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On to the cake! One of my niece’s favorite cupcakes is red velvet-perfect for V-day since red velvet reminds me of royalty's robes. Until last year I had never made it. I had a few boxes of white cake mix so I searched for an easy cake-mix recipe and found one on h<a href="http://southernfood.about.com/od/yellowandwhitecakes/r/blbb610.htm">ttp://southernfood.about.com/od/yellowandwhitecakes/r/blbb610.htm</a> about.com. I did alter it a bit after reading many recipes from <a href="http://www.cookiemadness.net/2011/02/red-velvet-cupcake-comparisons/" target="_blank">Cookie Madness</a> and other sites. I baked 12 cupcakes (I only have one 12 cupcake pan) and one layer of a 9” layer cake in a 9” pan. If anyone knows of a good red food coloring replacement, please, please, please let me know! I was going to order beet powder, but chickened out.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This recipe yields a deep-red, moist cake. Not too dense. I love the color..it is perfect in my not so humble opinion!!! I may try experimenting with beet coloring per Ashleen at <a href="http://bigbaketheory.com/2012/01/27/natural-red-velvet-cake/" target="_blank">The Big Bake Theory</a>. However, this cake is so tasty with the cheesecake pudding that I may just leave out the red food coloring and call it brown velvet cake! Or maybe milk chocolate velvet cake. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-v96dKln78EU/TzvvUhKu7iI/AAAAAAAAAOc/K53Zxze0qxw/s1600/Red+Velvet+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-v96dKln78EU/TzvvUhKu7iI/AAAAAAAAAOc/K53Zxze0qxw/s400/Red+Velvet+001.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-czqLTQrhzvQ/TzvvWUCRYsI/AAAAAAAAAOk/vXaE4N7U5Ao/s1600/Red+Velvet+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-czqLTQrhzvQ/TzvvWUCRYsI/AAAAAAAAAOk/vXaE4N7U5Ao/s400/Red+Velvet+002.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xmIr4N-wlik/TzvvZzx0iPI/AAAAAAAAAOs/wXovhVUFmjU/s1600/Red+Velvet+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xmIr4N-wlik/TzvvZzx0iPI/AAAAAAAAAOs/wXovhVUFmjU/s400/Red+Velvet+003.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <b> <u>Ingredients:</u></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0.15in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -0.25in;"></div><ul><li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">1 box white cake mix (2-layer size)</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">(I used an 18 oz Duncan Hines white mix)</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">1 box (4-serving size) instant cheesecake or vanilla pudding mix (I use cheesecake to add more flavor-red velvet can be bland)</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">2.5</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">1 tablespoon white vinegar</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">1 cup milk</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">4 large eggs</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">1/2 cup vegetable oil</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">1 ounce red food coloring (one bottle)</span></li>
</ul><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <u> </u></span></o:p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u><b>Cream Cheese Frosting:</b></u></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u><b><br />
</b></u></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"></div><ul><li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">4 ounces salted butter (1 stick), softened</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">8 ounces cream cheese, softened</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">½ </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">teaspoon pure almond extract, or</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">2 teaspoons vanilla or 1 teaspoon orange extract (extracts have different strengths), or 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">1.5 -2 cups</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">confectioner’s sugar (I used about 1 and ¾ cups-I like a good cream cheese flavor)</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Optional</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Red sprinkles and or 1 cup</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">toasted chopped pecans</span></li>
</ul><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u><b>Directions and warning:</b></u></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u><b><br />
</b></u></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Make sure you wear “baking” clothing and a smock. The red coloring is dangerous!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Preheat oven to 350 (or 325 if using dark pans). Line cupcake pans or spray with Pam for baking. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mix the 1 tablespoon vinegar into the milk and set aside. Then pour the cake mix into a large mixing bowl. To it add the box of pudding, 2 T cocoa powder, and then mix thoroughly. Break eggs into a separate bowl and look for shells…I always do this because I almost always have shell pieces! Add eggs, oil, milk, and food coloring to the dry ingredients. Beat 30 seconds on LOW to incorporate everything. Then beat 3 to 4 minutes on medium *(make sure to use a spatula a few times in between to scrape the bottom of the bowl) until smooth </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bake 24 cupcakes for about 18 minutes or bake (2) 9 inch cake pans for about 22 minutes. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Frosting: </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Beat softened butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Slowly incorporate powdered sugar and then almond extract. Beat until smooth. </span></div>Baking Ribbonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00316742071505469593noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5270568193229889345.post-70272997937096817642012-01-20T22:22:00.000-06:002012-01-20T22:22:07.181-06:00Bars, Bars, Bars!Ok, not the meet people, drink, get tipsy, and dance type, but the bake, eat, and get tipsy from the sugar high type. I have a daunting task for which I signed up-no arm twisting or begging was involved. I need to make 10 dozen NUTLESS bars for a party for my niece Mattie. Who better to help me decide than Anna at <a href="http://www.cookiemadness.net/" target="_blank">Cookie Madness</a>. The bars applying for the job need the following qualifications: They need to cut easily, hold their shape, keep for a few days, and travel well. I know. Lofty expectations. Well, as usual, Cookie Madness did not disappoint! First of all, I decided to "hire" 4 bars. The first bars I made were <a href="http://www.cookiemadness.net/2011/04/iced-lemon-bars/" target="_blank">Iced Lemon Bars</a>. As usual, I used salted butter and did not add any extra salt. I also used regular sugar and not powdered sugar. Okay, I also added the zest of one lemon to the batter. I didn't make any other changes. Okay, I did use a different glaze found here <a href="http://www.cookiemadness.net/2009/09/iced-mini-pumpkin-loaves-with-molasses/" target="_blank">Cookie Madness lemon icing</a>, but that's it!!! They were still delicious on the third day. You ask "if they were so good, then why did they last three days?" Well, I wanted to save a few to see how long they would last because I can't (don't want to) make 10 dozen bars in one day. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6wWMEAq2oOk/Txow48Q7DdI/AAAAAAAAANk/j8FksFp5f7s/s1600/Florida+2011+207.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6wWMEAq2oOk/Txow48Q7DdI/AAAAAAAAANk/j8FksFp5f7s/s400/Florida+2011+207.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Iced Lemon Shortbread Bars</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
10 dozen bars. Whew! I thought: how can I make this process easier for me? I have an idea! Let's see if I can make jam bars with the same shortbread dough I used for the lemon bars. Guess what? You can and I did. I thought they turned out great plus my reviewers texted me saying they liked the jam bars better than the brownies they love. I followed Anna's recipe with my changes above including the zest. I substituted about 2 cups of plum jam (which I first put into a bowl and hand mixed until it was smooth) for the lemon mixture. I spread it evenly over the pre- baked crust while the crust was warm, added the streusel topping, and baked them for another 20 to 25 minutes. After completely cool, they cut like a dream!<br />
Here is a picture of my dreamy jam bars. You can use any flavor jam. The plum jam reminds me of a garnet jewel.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xqaOfRPH9GM/TxozPQV76pI/AAAAAAAAANs/NRpYEaoZwV8/s1600/002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xqaOfRPH9GM/TxozPQV76pI/AAAAAAAAANs/NRpYEaoZwV8/s400/002.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dreamy Plum Jam Shortbread Bars</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Well, my third choice needed to have some chocolate in it because my niece would be disappointed without it. I chose an EASY Toffee Bar recipe from <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/toffee-bars-2/detail.aspx" target="_blank">Allrecipes</a>. The only changes I made were: Used a 9 x 13 pan, lined it with nonstick foil, substituted 1/2 teaspoon almond extract for the vanilla (for the party I won't use almond extract because that qualifies as a nut), and used about 5 ounces of semisweet chips and 5 ounces of butterscotch chips to melt on top of the hot crust. They were a hit with my reviewers, but they would prefer to have less butterscotch and more chocolate on the top so I would go 70% semi sweet and 30% butterscotch next time.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GA7DDY4kQg4/Txo1QOxH2HI/AAAAAAAAAN0/xrcspsTUIeU/s1600/Florida+2011+206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GA7DDY4kQg4/Txo1QOxH2HI/AAAAAAAAAN0/xrcspsTUIeU/s400/Florida+2011+206.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Easy Chocolate Butterscotch Toffee Bars</td></tr>
</tbody></table>My fourth bar ended up being boxed brownies (cringe). However, to a 9 x 13 pan I added about 4 inches of mashed banana, an extra tablespoon of Hershey's cocoa, 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips, and about a 1/16 of a teaspoon salt, or a big pinch. Most of that odd box mix flavor disappeared. No pictures of this brownie, but here are a few pictures from my trip to Florida.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-USNjgU5kPPc/Txo4iPGDgfI/AAAAAAAAAN8/Z4XpUVxOllY/s1600/Florida+2011+019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="255" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-USNjgU5kPPc/Txo4iPGDgfI/AAAAAAAAAN8/Z4XpUVxOllY/s400/Florida+2011+019.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roseate Spoonbills splashing around Sanibel Island</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nUNrULm-CJY/Txo4l-gOihI/AAAAAAAAAOE/EKcWy0JN58c/s1600/Florida+2011+026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="218" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nUNrULm-CJY/Txo4l-gOihI/AAAAAAAAAOE/EKcWy0JN58c/s400/Florida+2011+026.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More spoonbills..I am infatuated with them!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V1kGlECqAaE/Txo4rWN8yjI/AAAAAAAAAOM/VMhCQY-snSg/s1600/Florida+2011+065.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V1kGlECqAaE/Txo4rWN8yjI/AAAAAAAAAOM/VMhCQY-snSg/s400/Florida+2011+065.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great Blue Heron in front of my condo. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Gft9x7kvKv8/Txo5Waxry_I/AAAAAAAAAOU/fHEbSQpKeHA/s1600/Florida+2011+080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Gft9x7kvKv8/Txo5Waxry_I/AAAAAAAAAOU/fHEbSQpKeHA/s400/Florida+2011+080.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me "roof" hopping in FM. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;">Enjoy "bar" hopping!</div>Baking Ribbonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00316742071505469593noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5270568193229889345.post-84406293912716122022011-12-26T21:23:00.068-06:002011-12-26T22:27:09.767-06:00Tiramisu, kugel recipe, and hello from Fort Myers!I've been away from the kitchen for a while, but please don't leave me! I will be back! First, I want to say thank you for reading my posts even though I've been away. I also want to post the Kugel recipe (Jewish creamy noodle pudding) I never posted..Sorry about that Cotton Floozy!!!<br />
Also, I've taken a picture of a Tiramisu cake I found at Fleamasters Flea Market in Fort Myers. They were not forthcoming with the recipe. I need to study the cake and try to make it at home...I bought the whole cake because they were all out of slices. BAD IDEA because it is the best tiramisu I have tasted. I've been eating it for breakfast AND dessert. Since it has coffee and cream in it, it is breakfast food, right?<br />
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<div align="center">Tiramisu layer cake</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5R8uAGrGMko/Tvks1adlj0I/AAAAAAAAANE/qHKbuWOrf1g/s1600/Food+and+stuff+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" rea="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5R8uAGrGMko/Tvks1adlj0I/AAAAAAAAANE/qHKbuWOrf1g/s400/Food+and+stuff+001.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">The top layer is an espresso cream of some sort, then there is a layer of yellow cake, then a layer of mascarpone whipped up with something, then a layer of the espresso cream, then a layer of cake. It looks like the bottom cake layer is soaked with Kahlua or espresso or something...not sure. If you have any ideas, let me know. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Next, I went to a Fort Myers River District restaurant called The French Connection. I had the most delcious hot fudge crepe ever! It had a huge scoop of vanilla ice cream inside. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Hot fudge crepe</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vcIbg9mwJgQ/TvlE620PoZI/AAAAAAAAANc/rHoqgJtG4DI/s1600/010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" rea="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vcIbg9mwJgQ/TvlE620PoZI/AAAAAAAAANc/rHoqgJtG4DI/s400/010.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">On to the kugel recipe which can be easily altered for diabetics. I took a recipe from <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/kugel-2/detail.aspx">allrecipes.com </a> and altered it. It is Jewish comfort food, but you don't need to be Jewish to love it!!! This is not a low calorie health food dish. </div>I'd rather have a small piece of something fabulous than a large piece of blah! <br />
That being said, you can easily use lower fat ingredients and use sugar alternatives.<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Noodle Kugel (pudding)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m8WB00YMFZ8/TvkvgeOXOII/AAAAAAAAANQ/KgJBDReWjDs/s1600/kugel_cropped_slice_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="328" rea="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m8WB00YMFZ8/TvkvgeOXOII/AAAAAAAAANQ/KgJBDReWjDs/s400/kugel_cropped_slice_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Recipe:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u>Noodle mixture</u>:</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><br />
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">1 (8 ounce) package medium or fine egg noodles (medium or fine is the noodle size)</li><br />
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">8 tablespoons SALTED butter, sliced</li><br />
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">6 large eggs</li><br />
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">1/2 cup white sugar (or use 1/4 cup splenda and 1/4 cup agave syrup)</li><br />
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened</li><br />
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">4 tablespoons sour cream</li><br />
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">1 (16 ounce) container of cottage cheese, creamed (in a food processor or blender)</li><br />
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">3/4 cup golden or regular raisins</li><br />
<div class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient"> Orange liquor and apple juice or just apple juice for soaking raisins (or any sweet unsweetened fruit juice)</div><br />
<div class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient"><u>Topping ingredients:</u></div><br />
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">8 tablespoons SALTED butter (1 stick), <u>melted</u></li><br />
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">1/2 cup packed golden brown sugar</li><br />
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">1.5 cups crushed cornflakes or 1.5 cups rice crispies,<u> not crushed</u></li><br />
<div class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient"><u>Optional:</u></div><li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">1.5 teaspoons cinnamon</li><br />
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">1/8 cup white sugar.</li><br />
<br />
<div class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient"></div><div class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient"><u>Directions:</u></div><div class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient"></div><div class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">First, take the enough apple juice and orange liquor to cover the raisins and put it in a microwaveable bowl. Heat on high for about 2 minutes or just until hot, but not boiling. Add raisins and leave on counter soaking for about 15 minutes. I usually use just apple juice unless I have orange liquor handy. Then I go half and half.</div><div class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">While raisins soak, </div><ol><li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break">Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch glass baking dish. </span></li>
<li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break">Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and stir in 8 tablespoons sliced butter. </span></li>
<li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break">In a medium bowl beat sugar and cream cheese until smooth, then beat in eggs; stir into noodles and add sour cream, creamed cottage cheese, and salt. <u><strong>Drain</strong></u> raisins and stir them in. Transfer mixture to prepared dish. </span></li>
<li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break">In a small bowl combine melted butter, 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, and corn flakes. Sprinkle over noodle mixture. Combine cinnamon and 1/8 cup of white sugar and sprinkle on top of corn flakes.</span></li>
<li><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="plaincharacterwrap break">Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Tastes good warm or cold. Store in refrigerator.</span></div></li>
</ol>Baking Ribbonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00316742071505469593noreply@blogger.com9