Showing posts with label pie and cheesecake. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pie and cheesecake. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Pie, Pie Pie!!!!

'tis Thanksgiving...'tis pie time!!!  I made a lot of pie today....my kitchen looked like a flour, sugar, butter bomb went off...but boy howdy was it wicked fun!!!!  I am including here two recipes...a maple, pecan pumpkin pie and the family standard banana cream pie.  Last year, I dared not attend my family's Thanksgiving but instead went to my amazing cousins house in Colorado.  Well, I received hate mail from my family because of the lack of banana cream pie at their Thanksgiving, in fact, we had to have Thanksgiving part two, so that we could include banana cream pie.  So, have a fabulous Thanksgiving, a happy holiday season and rock the pie world peeps!!!! xoxo...Sara


Banana Cream Pie

Mix in saucepan:
you really have to stir and watch this baby
2/3 cup sugar                                                                           
dash of salt
2 ½ Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp flour

Stir in gradually:
3 cups whole milk

Cook over moderate heat stirring constantly until mixture thickens and boils.  Boil 1 minute.  Remove from heat.

Slowly stir half the mixture into:
3 egg yolks, beaten

Blend egg yolk mixture into hot mixture in saucepan.  Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.

Blend in:
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla                                           
1 Tbsp butter

Cool and pour into cooled baked pie shell, add 1-2 sliced bananas.  Chill thoroughly and add whipped topping.

**layer banana slices, one layer on the bottom, then a layer of pudding, then a layer of banana, etc. 

Graham Cracker Crust                                                        

2 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
½ cup sugar
½ cup melted butter

Mix and press into pie pan.

Bake for 10 minutes at 300 degrees.

Whipped Cream Topping
Ingredients:
·                        1 cup heavy cream
·                        1/4 cup sugar
·                        1 teaspoon vanilla
Preparation:
Whip cream until almost stiff. Add sugar and vanilla; beat 
until cream holds peaks. Spread over top of cooled pie.


Michele Albano's Maple Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Streusel
Ingredients
streusel is delicious
  • Pie Crust
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening, very cold
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream, for brushing
  • Pecan Streusel
  • 3/4 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
  • 1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced, cold
  • Filling
  • 2 cups pumpkin puree, preferably fresh
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
  • 1 cup Grade B maple syrup
  • 3 large eggs, beaten
  • Maple Whipped Cream (recipe follows), for serving
Directions
To make the crust, combine the flour and salt in a medium bowl and mix well. Break up the shortening and toss it with the flour mixture to coat. Using a pastry blender or your fingertips, mix the ingredients together until the dough forms coarse crumbs. Add 3 to 4 tablespoons ice-cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough easily forms a ball that can hold itself together. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and as long as overnight.
While the dough is resting, make the streusel: Toss the pecans with the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Add the butter, and using a pastry blender or your fingertips, work in until you have small clumps. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Sprinkle flour generously over a hard surface and roll the dough out with a rolling pin until it forms an 11-inch round. Fold the round in half, place it in a 9-inch pie plate, and then unfold the dough to completely cover the pie plate with a bit of an overhang. Tuck the overhang under to make a double-thick rim, and then use your fingers to crimp the edges of the pie shell. Brush the heavy cream over the crimped edges, and refrigerate until the filling is complete.
To make the filling, mix the pumpkin, flour, brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt together with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl well. Add the heavy cream and maple syrup, scraping the bowl several times while mixing. Mix in the beaten eggs.
Pour the filling mixture into the pie shell, and bake for 15 minutes. Then lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake until the filling is almost firm, about 30 minutes. Remove the pie from the oven and sprinkle the pecan streusel over the top, covering the pie completely. Return the pie to the oven and bake until the filling is just a bit wobbly in the middle and the pecan streusel is golden, 10 to 15 minutes. The total baking time should be 55 to 60 minutes.
Cool the pie on a wire rack. The pie is best served at either at room temperature or cold. Before serving, garnish the pie with the Maple Whipped Cream.
  • Maple Whipped Cream
  • 2 cups heavy cream                                                                        
  • 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar                                                                     
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup Grade B maple syrup, or to taste
Place the metal bowl of an electric mixer in the freezer to chill for at least 15 minutes.
Combine the cream, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla in the chilled bowl, and beat on high speed until the mixture thickens. Add the maple syrup and beat on high speed until the cream holds firm peaks.

Friday, November 19, 2010

Cheesecake of Awesome Deliciousness

Cheesecake is just one of those words you say and drool starts to form at the corners of your mouth...even though I like pie better....but there is something about that word...cheesecake....cheeeeeeeeesecake....anyway...my favorite cooking blog is Pioneer Woman...http://thepioneerwoman.com/ and she has a pumpkin cheesecake to die for.  The only changes I made were making my own gingersnap cookies and made the pecans into pecan pralines.  Now, I suggest you double the gingersnap recipe, because the minute they start cooking, you will be craving them....and then eating them, and then sampling them, and then accidentally dropping one on the counter, and hey, you have to eat it because its broken, and then, wait, you need to eat one with milk...and so on and so forth, y'all have your own way of justifying, rationalizing and lying to yourself about your cookie eating habits...(send me more excuses)  But they are way delicious!!!  The cheesecake is pretty easy to make, even a spazzy cook like me can pull it off.  When I took it to my work potluck today, one of the ladies had what was described as a "Hallelujah" moment.  That's what makes me happy!!  love to you all.  Laters! 

-Martha Stewart's Gingersnap Cookies

2 cups all purpose flour
yep...the one on the bottom is one I was "sampling"
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp  ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
1 cup sugar
¾ cup canola oil
1 large egg
¼ cup mild-flavored molasses (I used full flavored and LOVED it)
I accidentally added 1/4 tsp of cloves, and it was a lovely addition. 

Additional sugar for coating

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Whisk flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and salt in large bowl.  Beat sugar and oil in another large bowl until pale in color, about 2 minutes.  Beat in egg and molasses.  Gradually stir in flour mixture.

Roll 2 tablespoonfuls dough into ball, then roll in sugar to coat.  Repeat, forming about 6 dough balls.  Arrange 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet (cookies will spread).  Bake until cookies are golden brown around edges and cracked on top, about 12 minutes.  Let cool 2 minutes on sheet; trasfer cookies to rack to cool.  Repeat with remaining dough.

Pecan Pralines Southern Style

Change to: pralines US Metric Close
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup pecans
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream  
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter                                                   
  • 1 cup light brown sugar, plus
  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Spread the pecans on a cookie sheet and place in the oven for 3 minutes.
Stir and bake for 3 more minutes (Watch them closely so the don't get over toasted).
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Fit a heavy-bottomed saucepan with a candy thermometer.
Over high heat, cook the cream, butter and brown sugar to 240 degrees (soft ball).
If necessary, stir once to help dissolve the sugar.
Remove from the heat and let sit for 15 seconds.
CAREFULLY stir in the vanilla, , and toasted pecans.
 (It might spit and sputter) Stir until the mixture looks creamy and slightly thickened.
Drop by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheet.
Cool for 20 minutes. 

PW’s Caramel Pumpkin Pecan Gingersnap Cheesecake
also known as: PW’s Pumpkin Cheesecake
**Can be halved for a smaller springform pan
Crust:
12 ounces storebought gingersnaps
1/2 cup chopped pecans
6 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons brown sugar                                                                                         
Dash of salt
Filling:
4 packages cream cheese
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)                                      
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
4 eggs
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 jar caramel topping
Extra chopped pecans
Extra crushed gingersnaps
In a food processor (or large ziploc bag) crush gingersnps. Add chopped pecans, melted butter, brown sugar, and salt, and pulse (or mix) until thoroughly combined.
Press into bottom and sides of a 10-inch springform pan. Chill for 20-30 minutes.
In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add pumpkin and spices and mix again. Add eggs one at a time, mixing for 20 seconds between each addition. Add cream and mix until just combined.
Remove crust from fridge. Pour 1/2 jar of caramel topping on crust. (NOTE: CAN BE OMITTED; SEE NOTE ABOVE) Sprinkle caramel with chopped pecans. Gently pour cheesecake filling in pan. Even out the top with a flat spatula.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until no longer soupy. Cheesecake should still be somewhat jiggly. Cool on counter for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, pour the rest of the caramel topping over the top. Smooth with a flat spatula until evenly smooth. Cover and chill cheesecake for another four hours or overnight.
Remove rim from pan and slice. Sprinkle each slice with extra crushed gingersnaps.

Monday, August 30, 2010

Peach Paradise with a few Raspberries thrown in the mix...and a recipe for the best waffles ever!

My friend Anne and I had the second annual peach picking festival at Apple Annie's in Wilcox this Saturday. It was a beautiful day and highly entertaining. For one, we got yelled at by a gentleman we dubbed "Apple Andy," yes, we are clever. What on earth did we do to get yelled at, by this fella? I will tell ya...ahem...story time:
Apple Annie's orchard offers a ride around the orchard to your fruit picking destination on a flatbed attached to a tractor, driven by Apple Andy. Anne and I had traveled all around the orchard and the tractor finally reached the peach part of the orchard, where a group of people had gathered to get back on after their peach picking experience. Anne and I grabbed our buckets and were set to disembark, when from the tractor we hear Apple Andy's dulcet tones telling us to, "SIT DOWN!! YOU'RE NOT THERE YET!" We confusedly complied, sitting sheepishly back down. The tractor then traveled, about 10 feet, stopped and we heard the Jolly Andy yell, " Peaches!!" Yes, yes...quite entertaining. I still haven't stopped laughing!

Anyway...we drove 2 hours down, 2 hours back, spent 10 minutes picking peaches, and 20 minutes sitting in the orchard eating peaches and talking about what a lovely day it was...and every minute was worth it!! Especially, the snow cones for the ride home. And then, Anne and I teamed up the next day for the peach cooking extravaganza! We accompanied this peachy chaos by inviting a few friends over for "breakfast for dinner" so we could have peach pancakes and use the raspberry-peach syrup (was supposed to be jelly, that didn't gel) on La Gaufre de Liège waffles. Which are Belgian waffles, using Belgian sugar. It is a wonderful sweet happy way to eat dinner. But no peach fest is complete without peach pie accompanied with my raspberry ice cream! So let the deliciousness begin!!!


Paula Peach Pie

9 pounds fresh peaches
2 teaspoons Fruit Fresh, (fruit preservative)                                        
3 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons quick cooking tapioca
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 9-inch pie, top crust
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon or nutmeg
To peel the peaches, first bring a pot of water to a boil. Using a paring knife, score the peaches with an X into the skins only. Gently drop the peaches in the boiling water for approximately 30 seconds to 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, remove the peaches and place them in iced water for a minute. The skins should slip off easily. If not, place back into the boiling water for another 30 seconds.
Slice the peaches and put them in a bowl. Sprinkle Fresh Fruit and sugar, and stir into peaches. Stir in remaining ingredients and mix well.
Line 4 pie pans with heavy foil or freezer paper, placing a piece of plastic wrap over foil. Put 4 to 5 cups filling each pan. Loosely fold wrapping around pie and freeze until firm. When filling is frozen solid, remove from pans and wrap tightly. Return to freezer until ready to use.
On pie baking day, for each pie, simply place frozen pie filling in pie shell, add 1/2 a stick of butter and sprinkle with cinnamon or nutmeg. Top pie with an additional pastry crust, seal well, and bake for 50 to 60 minutes in a preheated 375 degree oven.
I did one lattice and one with brown sugar, oatmeal, butter topping

Blushing Peach Jam
 Categories: Yield: 2 Dozen
2 c Crushed peeled peaches
2 c Red raspberries; crushed                                          
1/4 c Lemon juice
7 c Sugar
2 pk Liquid fruit pectin
1/8 ts Almond extract
Mix peaches, raspberries and lemon juice; mix in sugar. Bring to a full rolling boil; boil 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in pectin. Return to a boil; boil 1 minute, stirring. Remove from heat; skim off foam. Add extract; pack into hot jars, leaving 1/4" headspace. Seal jars; process in boiling water bath 15 minutes

La Gaufre de Liège

This is a type of waffle from the city of Liège, Belgium.

The waffle should be eaten warm. The Perlé sugar gives the waffle a sweet and crunchy taste.
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups.
Flour
1 tablespoon
Dry Yeast
1 teaspoon
Salt
1/2 teaspoon
Cinnamon                                                                                    
2
Eggs                                                                                       
3/4 cup
Milk
1 teaspoon
Vanilla
1 3/4 sticks
Butter
1 cup
Perlé sugar(I get mine from AJ's Fine Food in Tucson...they used to have a similar kind at IKEA, but I haven't seen it in awhile.)
 Preparation
Mix the flour, dry yeast, salt and cinnamon together in a bowl.
 Add the eggs, milk and vanilla
Knead all these ingredients together well until they look like pizza dough.  Let it rest for about 30 minutes.
In a separate bowl mix the butter (cut in small pieces) and the pearl sugar.
Add this mixture to the dough and mix thoroughly until the sugar and butter are totally integrated with the dough.  Let it rest for another 15 minutes.
Bake on a hot waffle maker – about 2-3 minutes.  DO NOT ADD GREASE OR PAM
The number of waffles from this recipe depends on the size.  You could get from 10 to 30.












Anne made peach pancakes, she just chopped up the peaches in to small pieces, added the cinnamon-sugar from the pie filling and added it to Bisquick and pancaked away! 


 The final thing I made, which I don't have a picture for is raspberry icecream.  This has been dubbed by me, "The man wooer"  I will always make it or creme brulee for a man I am trying to woo.  It has not helped me to successfully keep the man for a lengthy period of time, but does, at least, keep him coming back for awhile.  I really need to figure out the rest of the wooing part, can't seem to get past the food part, oh well.
So here is the recipe...try your own wooing.

Raspberry Ice Cream
Ingredients
(1 servings)
1 pt Fresh raspberries
1 c Sugar (sometimes a 1/4 more depending on the sweetness of the berry)
1/2 Lemon; juice of
2 lg Eggs
2 c Heavy or whipping cream
1 c Milk
Instructions
Compare to other fresh fruit, raspberries are intensely flavorful and very tart, so to make ice cream you need less fruit and more sugar. Toss the raspberries, 3/4 cup sugar, and the lemon juice together in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Whisk in thr remaining 3/4 cup sugar, a little at a time, then continue whisking until completely blended, about 1 minute more. Pour in the heavy cream and milk and whisk to blend. Drain the juice from the raspberries into the cream mixture and blend. Mash the raspberries until pureed and stir them into the cream mixture. Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze following the manufacturer's instructions. Makes 1 generous quart. NOTE: If you prefer a chunkier raspberry ice cream, return the raspberries to the refrigerator after pouring off the juice. After the ice cream stiffens, about 2 minutes before it is done, add the whole raspberries. 

(I am currently working on a peach crumble...so stay tuned!!!)