Strawberry & Lemon Marshmallows

For my daughter's first birthday I had a pink lemonade theme, and made some homemade lemon and strawberry marshmallows.  I dipped the bottoms in a light coating of white chocolate and put them on sticks to make it easier for the kids to handle.

Strawberry Marshmallows

INGREDIENTS

3 packages unflavored gelatin
1 cup ice cold water, divided
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/8 cup dried strawberries, finely chopped
1/4 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp strawberry extract or flavoring
red food color
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch

Lemon Marshmallows

INGREDIENTS

3 packages unflavored gelatin
1 cup ice cold water, divided
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
grated lemon peel from 1 lemon
1/4 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp lemon extract
yellow food color
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch

DIRECTIONS
Sift together confectioners' sugar and cornstarch.  Lightly butter the bottom and sides of a 13" by 9" baking pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, not necessary but helpful. Then sift about 1/8 cup of the powdered sugar and cornstarch mixture onto the bottom of the pan.  Add 1/2 cup cold water into the bowl of an electric mixer. Sprinkle gelatin over the water and let stand until softened (about 15 minutes)

In a heavy bottomed saucepan, add the sugar, corn syrup, salt, lemon peel or dried strawberries and 1/2 cup cold water. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a boil. Use a wet pastry brush and wipe sugar crystals from the sides of the pot, boil for about two minute. Boil on high, until the syrup reaches 240F, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

Using a whisk attachment, turn your mixer on low and slowly pour the hot syrup into the gelatin. Slowly increase the speed to high and beat until it comes together and looks like thick marshmallow fluff, about 10 minutes. Add extract and 2-5 drops of food coloring (until color desired is reached, I wanted it pale so only used 3) beat to combine, about 30 -60 seconds.

If you use butter to lightly butter the rubber spatula first it makes it easier to spread out.  Pour marshmallow mixture into the prepared pan and spread with a rubber spatula, scraping out the bowl.  Sift about 1/8 cup of the powdered sugar and cornstarch mixture onto the marshmallows and let stand, uncovered on the counter until set, about 3-6 hours (depends on humidity).

Run a knife around the perimeter of the pan, and invert onto a cutting board which has been dusted with about 1 TBSP of the powdered sugar and cornstarch mixture.  Put remaining sugar and cornstarch mixture in a bowl.  Peel off the parchment paper, if you used it and cut the marshmallows into small squares.  I do about 1"x1" squares.  Toss in sugar and cornstarch mixture in the bowl, shake off and store in an airtight container, separating layers with parchment paper.

Swedish Almond Cake

This is very easy to make and tastes delicious. It's a bit dense, and typically served with a light dusting of powdered sugar, but I rarely bother with that. I've made these in mini loaf pans, but without being able to twist the pan there is no way to get them out cleanly. A springform pan would probably work because you can run a knife between the cake and pan to pop it out. I'd highly recommend the almond cake pan though, this is my go to dessert for company. It's easy to make, stays moist and lends itself well to other flavors by just changing the extract. I've made it with rum, lemon, orange and, of course, almond.

Swedish Almond Cake

INGREDIENTS

1 1/4 cups sugar
2/3 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 tsps pure almond extract
1 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease and flour the swedish almond cake pan, or use non stick spray.
In a medium bowl, beat together the sugar, milk, egg and almond extract.
Add dry ingredients to liquid mixture and stir until just combined.
Pour melted butter into the bowl and stir until incorporated.
Pour batter into cake pan and bake for 40-50 minutes at 350F.
The cake is done when a cake tester or knife inserted comes out clean.
Allow to cool completely before popping it out of the pan, or it will stick terribly.
Twist the pan back and forth to loosen, then it should come out.

Fresh out of the oven, golden brown on top, but the rest is very pale in color.

Cream Puffs or Bollur

NOTE: Recipe moved to Candy Hearts and Paper Flowers

I made these for an Icelandic holiday tomorrow called Bolludagur, for details see Candy Hearts and Paper Flowers tomorrow. This recipe makes a choux pastry, pâte à choux, and is translated from metric measurements, I hope it works out for you. This site has pretty good pictures of the process and what it looks like at each stage. This pastry gets it's height from the steam created by the moisture of the batter, if you open the door you will lose that steam and your puffs will fall. This pastry would be the perfect example of why ovens have a light inside and a window in the door.

Cream Puffs

INGREDIENTS
Pastry:
1 1/3 cup water
1 stick butter
1 1/4 cup flour
3 eggs

Filling:
1 cup whipping cream
2 Tbsp powdered sugar

Chocolate Icing:
1/2 cup Semisweet Chocolate, chopped
3 Tbsp cream

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Heat water and butter in small pot until it just comes to a boil
Add flour to the pot all at once and stir until incorporated, continue stirring for 1 minute or until film starts to form on the bottom of the pot (about 1-2 minutes)
Add eggs 1 at a time and combine completely before adding next egg.
This will form a very soft dough that you drop by tablespoonful onto a parchment sheet lined cookie sheet
Cook for 23-26 minutes at 400 degrees until very light golden brown
Do not open the oven to check the puffs or they will fall, use the window to get an idea of color.
After the pastry comes out of the oven let them cool completely before assembling.

Prepare filling by whipping cream until soft peaks form, sift in powdered sugar and whip additional 5 seconds

Place chocolate in microwave for 15 seconds
Add cream, microwave for additional 15 seconds
Mix well, microwave in additional 15 second intervals, if needed until you can stir it until smooth.

To assemble:
Slice open
Top with dollop of whip cream
Dip top in chocolate and nestle on top of whip cream

Aebleskiver - Danish Pancakes

Aebleskiver are Danish pancakes made in a aebleskiver pan (mine is seasoned cast iron). I prefer to make them with seedless blackberry jam. The jam isn't necessary though, so you can make them plain and dip them in syrup, applesauce, honey or serve them with fresh fruit. You will need a knitting needle, bamboo skewer or fondue fork to flip these. I recommend one of the first two to prevent scratches. The quarter is to give you an idea of size, they're about the size of a half-dollar and just shy of an inch thick. While they do require a special pan to make, they are reasonably priced and can be found at most Scandinavian stores or from Amazon or various resources online. They are easy to make and kids love them.

Aebleskiver

INGREDIENTS
3 eggs, separated
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups milk
3 tablespoons butter

Butter

optional:
seedless jam/preserves/jelly
powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS:
In medium nonreactive bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.
In large bowl mix together flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
Mix in milk and egg yolks until smooth.
Cut 3 Tbsp butter into 7 pieces and place in aebleskiver pan over medium heat until melted. (This serves to prep the pan as well as melt the butter)
Completely incorporate melted butter into the batter.
Fold in beaten egg whites.

Have 2 Tbsp butter cut into small blocks to add to pan every pancake. (About 20 cubes, 5 slices each quartered)

Drop pancake batter into pan, filling each well about halfway.

Optional: Drop approximately 1/4-1/2 tsp jam in each well, push in and cover with a bit of batter.

Flip with a knitting needle or bamboo skewer after about a minute (edges with be sort of dry like normal pancakes).
Cook about 1 more minute.
Flip onto plate.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.

Hard Candy

I made a couple of batches of hard candy this weekend, both Cherry and Peppermint. I'll make one more batch of Rum candies this week. So easy! I used red food coloring for Cherry, blue for Peppermint and I'll leave the rum natural. I was inspired to try this by Angelena at Little Mountain House. I reduced it a bit since I was making a few flavors.

Hard Candy

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 tsp candy oil flavoring
2-3 drops food coloring
Glass of hot water
1/2 cup Powdered Sugar (Optional)

DIRECTIONS
Grease a jelly roll sheet with butter
Mix sugar and corn syrup in microwave safe glass bowl
Use pastry brush dipped in hot water to push sugar up the side of the bowl down into the mixture
Microwave on high for 3 minutes
Stir until sugar is combined
Cover with plastic wrap
Microwave on high for 3 minutes
Stir until sugar is combined
Cover with a new sheet of plastic wrap
Microwave on high for 3 minutes
Stir in oil flavoring and food coloring
Pour into jelly roll sheet
Dust with thin layer of powdered sugar (optional)
Let set 10 minutes
Score (cut into pieces, to get lines into candy)
Chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes
Remove from jelly roll pan
Cover both sides completely with plastic wrap, smack on countertop
It should break mainly along the scored lines
Place in ziploc and store in cool, dry place

Salted Chocolate

Quick and easy and so tasty. I love the sweet and salty combination.

Salted Chocolate

INGREDIENTS
16 oz Semisweet chocolate, chopped
Sea Salt
1 cup Pecans, toasted

DIRECTIONS
Put a layer of wax paper or parchment paper on a jelly roll pan
Spread chocolate out evenly across wax paper
Put in oven at 325 for about 5 minutes, watch it, it will melt quickly
Check it every 30 seconds, when the chocolate is spreadable remove it from the oven and spread it evenly
Sprinkle sea salt across the entire layer of chocolate
Sprinkle top with toasted pecans
Gently press pecans into the chocolate
Cool in refrigerator uncovered for 20 minutes
Break up and store in cool dark dry place

Spicy Pumpkin Pie

The last Thanksgiving recipe, doesn't everyone serve Pumpkin Pie?

Yes, it got a rather large crack in the top. Yes, it still tasted marvelous!

Spicy Pumpkin Pie

INGREDIENTS

1 pie crust

Pumpkin Filling:

2 cups (16 oz.) plain pumpkin purée, canned or fresh
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. fresh grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 cup heavy cream
2/3 cup milk
4 large eggs

DIRECTIONS
Form pie crust to 9" pie pan and cover with foil, and fill with pie weights, bake at 400 for 15 minutes.
Remove foil, bake for additional 8-10 minutes, until crust just barely starts to brown.
While the crust is baking:
Process first 7 ingredients in a food processor fitted with steel blade for 1 minute.
Pour pumpkin mixture into a heavy-bottomed saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
Cook, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes, until mixture gets shiny and thickens.
When the pie crust comes out of oven, whisk heavy cream and milk into pumpkin and bring to a simmer.
Beat eggs in food processor until whites and yolks are mixed.
With motor running, slowly pour in about half of hot pumpkin mixture through the feed tube.
Then stop the food processor and scrape in remaining pumpkin mixture.
Process for 30 seconds.

Pour as much mixture as you can into the pie crust.
Put it into the oven for 5 minutes.
Add any remaining mixture to the pie after the 5 minutes.
Bake about 20-25 more minutes (filling will look dry and puffed and slightly cracked near the edges, it should wiggle a bit like gelatin when you shake it)
Cool for 1 hour on wire rack

Serve with whip cream or ice cream.

Raspberry Apple Pie

I love the contrast of the tart and sweet in this pie.

Raspberry Apple Pie

INGREDIENTS

Crust:
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
20 Tbs. (2-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1 Tbsp pats
6 to 7 Tbs. ice water

Filling:
6 large apples, peeled and sliced (McIntosh, Granny Smith, or other tart pie type apple)
1 1/2 cup raspberries, rinsed
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 Tbsp butter

Optional:
1 Tbsp sugar

DIRECTIONS

Mix together flour, sugar and salt (Pulse twice if using FP)
Add butter, toss in the flour to separate, cut in butter into flours mixture until butter is in pea-sized pieces (Pulse 5-8 times if using FP)
Drizzle in ice cold water 1 Tbsp at a time, until just moistened and sticking together, usually 6-7 Tbsps (Pulse after each Tbsp)
Lay out a sheet of plastic wrap, and pour on dough bits
Form dough into ball in center using the plastic wrap to pull it together.
Separate into 2 balls.
Pat down to about 1 - 1 1/2" thick rounds
Let rest 20 minutes in the refrigerator
Lightly dust surface with flour and roll out each round dough circle to 1/4" - 1/8" thickness (adding as little flour as possible, but enough to keep it from sticking)
Roll first round lightly over rolling pin, then roll off over 9" pie pan
Carefully push down and into place against pan

Toss the apples with the lemon juice in a bowl
Toss in raspberries
Mix in brown sugar and spices
Pour into pie crust in pan
Cut butter up into small pieces and dot around the top of the apples

Roll second round lightly over rolling pin, then roll off over filling
Drape crust over filling

Trim crust leaving 1/2" past edge of the pie tin.
Using your fingers, go around the edge pinching the top and bottom crust together, and fold under and gently push together to seal. If this doesn't make sense, here's a terrible picture to illustrate! Green is the top and Red is the bottom crust.



Then you can pinch around the edge between thumb and forefinger for a pretty pattern, or use fork tines to smoosh around edge. You can kind of see what I mean for pinching in the finished photo.

Next, you need some sort of vent in the top, you can either use a knife and cut an X in the top middle, or you can use a cookie cutter to cut out a pretty shape.

Optional, brush the top crust with a little bit of water and sprinkle with sugar.

Cover pie crust edges with foil.

Bake at 350F for 25 minutes.
Remove foil
Continue baking for 10-15 minutes until crust is lightly brown.
I recommend putting a jelly roll pan underneath to catch any mess if the fruit should happen to bubble out.

Berry Buckle

When I was cleaning up the kitchen and the front of the refrigerator this weekend I was inspired to make a Raspberry/Blackberry Buckle as a treat for Paul. I had some berries in the refrigerator that needed to get used up. While cleaning the front of my refrigerator I glanced at Amy Carol's Cheat Sheet of Basic Recipes with a Raspberry Buckle recipe on it. I was going to use the berries for breakfast tomorrow, but decided to go with the buckle instead.

This was very good, mine looks a bit of a mess, I added about 1/2 cup white chocolate chips and mixed Raspberries and Blackberries since I didn't have enough Raspberries. I served it with a few carmelized bananas (that needed to be eaten) and vanilla ice cream. I won't post the recipe since I basically took it right from Amy's Cheat Sheet, but feel free to download it here. Say hi and peruse her blog while you are at it.





This was SOOOOO easy to make and very yummy!

The leftover bananas made a yummy topping for pancakes the next morning.

Caramelized Bananas

2 bananas, cut into slices 1/8"-1/4" thick
1/8 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp butter

Melt butter on low in small pan, sprinkle brown sugar into pan and stir until just mixed with butter, add bananas, stir to coat. Cook on low 2-3 minutes until lightly browned, not until soft and mushy!

{Edited: I accidentally posted instead of saved this, I'll add pictures tonight in case you are the kind of person that won't make a recipe without a picture.}

Lemon Cups

I took a break from cleaning last night to make these lovely lemon cups... I was craving something lemony, but I wanted something light, as opposed to rich and dense like lemon bars.

These bake up to a very light spongy cake layer on top and a layer of lemon curd on the bottom. They are also delicious made with lime juice instead of lemon juice. A wonderful light summer dessert when served chilled, but who has the patience to let them chill? They are also great served warm with a bit of vanilla ice cream.

You will want 3 bowls, measuring cups, a whisk (or fork), a rubber spatula, and a mixer handy (unless you have great upper arm muscles and routinely whisk egg whites to stiff peaks by hand).

I've tried to take a couple of pictures to share the light custardy goodness, but really no picture can do them justice.



Can you see the layers in the picture below? It's not too obvious, but they're there, I promise.



I had mine warm with a bit of whip cream, mmmmm... because like I said, who has the patience for them to chill.

Lemon Cups

Ingredients

3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 cup + 2 Tbsp sugar
1/4 cup flour
2 1/2 Tbsp butter, melted
1/3 cup lemon juice, I prefer fresh squeezed, but bottled works in a pinch
zest of 1 lemon

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease 8 6 oz ramekins, or 6 8 oz ramekins.
Separate eggs, placing yolks in one bowl (A) and whites in your mixing bowl(B).
Add milk to the egg yolks and whisk together with a fork or whisk.
Whip egg whites to stiff peaks, transfer to another bowl(C) temporarily.
Add the sugar and flour to the mixing bowl(B) and mix together.
Pour the melted butter into the flour and sugar mixture and mix together.
Add the lemon juice and zest to the butter, flour and sugar mixture and turn mixer on low, once combined slowly pour in the egg yolk and milk mixture.
Fold the egg whites into the mixture in the mixing bowl(B).
Place the ramekins in a cake pan, and pour the mixture evenly into the ramekins.
Finally, place the cake pan in the oven and slowly fill the pan around the ramekins with water up to 1" to create a water bath.
Cook at 350 for 35-40 minutes, until light brown on top and the top of the cake springs back when touched.

Serve warm or chilled, topped with whip cream or vanilla ice cream.

No Cook Orange Balls

We used to make these all the time when I was younger. While they aren't quite as good as I remember, it would make a nice layer for an ice cream dessert.

Orange Balls

INGREDIENTS:
1 box Nilla Wafers, crushed
1 bag shaved coconut
1 can frozen orange juice concentrate
2 cups powdered sugar
powdered sugar for rolling

DIRECTIONS
Mix the Nilla Wafers, coconut, orange juice and sugar together. Roll into 1" balls (this is sticky and messy!) and roll in powdered sugar. Enjoy.

To make it easy, I just throw the box of Nilla Wafers in a food processor and pulse into crumbs, then add powdered sugar and pulse a few, then add the rest and pulse until mixed.

I envision this working better as part of an ice cream dessert. A Nilla Cookie crust, with a layer of this orange mixture, a layer of French Vanilla Ice Cream, topped with some coconut and mandarin oranges.

UPDATE:

I tried using the orange balls as part of an ice cream dessert and that didn't turn out quite well either. I think this is one of those things that I have to chalk up to a skewed chilhood memory. I think the extreme sweetness and stickiness of these is just the sort of thing that kids love and makes adults cringe.

Vanilla Pears and Caramel Sauce

As I mentioned, I used the pears from my Thanksgiving Centerpiece to make Vanilla Pears inspired by this post by Angelina of Dustpan Alley. While I will make these again sticking a little bit closer to what she specifies, this was just a quickie to serve with ice cream that evening.

Vanilla Pears and Caramel Sauce

INGREDIENTS:
3-6 pears, peeled, cored and sliced in 8ths(I used Comice and Red Anjou)
1 cup sugar
2 cups water
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 cup heavy cream

VANILLA PEARS DIRECTIONS:
Combine water and sugar in small saucepan and stir over medium-low heat until dissolved
Bring sugar water to simmer
Add vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon, stirring to combine
Add pears, simmer 10-15 minutes until heated through and soft
Remove pears gently with a slotted spoon

CARAMEL SAUCE DIRECTIONS:
Contine to simmer sugar mixture from Vanilla Pears until reduced

Reduce to approx 1 cup and until it takes on a light golden color and falls off the spoon in a steady drizzle (rather than dribbling off) when lifted from the mixture. If you aren't sure about the drizzle, just concentrate on quantity and color.

Remove from heat and quickly whisk in heavy cream
Reduce heat to low and whisk mixture until reduced by about 1/2 cup, depending on how thick you want your caramel. If you like it very drizzly, don't reduce it much at all. I like it fairly thick, spoonable type consistency, so I reduced mine quite a bit. It will thicken as it cools, so keep that in mind as well.

Sweet Potato Pound Cake

Adapted from Better Homes and Garden Best Loved Community Recipes Vol I (still available used). I usually use some of the leftovers from Brandied Candied Sweet Potatoes to make this and adjust amounts accordingly. So I'll give the recipe as in the cookbook, and then also my ingredient modifications when making with leftovers from Thanksgiving. I will make the pound cake Thursday evening, so I can verify amounts for the modifications and tweak them as need be and post pictures. Those are the adjustments I have in my cookbook, but I might have tweaked it a bit based on appearance.

Sweet Potato Pound Cake

INGREDIENTS:

Cake:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 cups cooked, mashed, cooled sweet potatoes (about 2 medium)
1 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
3-5 tsp orange juice
Orange Peel (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Cake:
Preheat the oven to 350 F
Grease and flour a 10" tube pan or 4 loaf pans
In a large mixing bowl, cream together sugar and butter, then add sweet potatoes and vanilla and beat until well combined
Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition (the batter will look curdled)
Sift together remaining cake ingredients in a bowl
Add slowly to the sweet potato mixture, beating on low until just combined
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 80 minutes (40-50 minutes for loaf pans) or until knife inserted halfway between center and edge of pan comes out clean.
Cool on wire rack for 20 minutes
Invert onto plate(s)

Glaze:
Add orange juice to powdered sugar 1 tsp at a time, just until the glaze reaches drizzling consistency. Stir in orange peel, if adding. Drizzle over pound cake(s).

MODIFICATIONS:

6 Tbsp butter, softened
1 3/4 cup sugar
3 cups Brandied Candied Sweet Potatoes
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

Follow directions as above.

Apple Galette

This is inspired by an Apple Galette I saw on Angry Chicken a while back. I use my Spiced Apples as the filling for this Apple Galette. This is an easy substitute for an apple pie, when you want a pie without all the hassle of a perfect crust and sealing the top and bottom crusts together. Simple, but just as tasty.

For a Galette Pie Crust, you want enough for about 1 1/2 pie crusts. This is a basic pie crust, yielding a great flaky crust. To make this quick, I use my food processor, however you can use your fingers, two knives, or a pastry blender to cut in the butter.

An Apple Galette

Apple Galette

INGREDIENTS

Crust:
1 1/2 cups white flour
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, cut into Tbsp sized pieces
ice cold water

2-3 cups Spiced Apples

DIRECTIONS
Mix together flour, sugar and salt (Pulse twice if using FP)
Add butter, toss in the flour to separate, cut in butter into flours mixture until butter is in pea-sized pieces (Pulse 5-8 times if using FP)
Drizzle in ice cold water 1 Tbsp at a time, until just moistened and sticking together, usually 4-5 Tbsps (Pulse after each Tbsp)
Lay out a sheet of plastic wrap, and pour on dough bits
Form dough into ball in center using the plastic wrap to pull it together.
Pat down to about 1 - 1 1/2" round
Let rest 20 minutes in the refrigerator
Lightly dust surface with flour and roll out dough into circle (adding as little flour as possible, but enough to keep it from sticking)
Transfer dough to circular pizza pan or stoneware circle
Fill center with Spiced Apples about 3/4" thick, leaving about 1 1/2" crust at the outer edge
Fold the outer crust with no filling on it up over the Spiced Apples
Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes, until crust is lightly brown.

Spiced Apples

These are great on their own or layered in a galette or as filling for an apple pie. They are a great candidate for canning as well. I make these in large batches for canning to have handy for throwing together cobblers, pies or just to dress up vanilla ice cream in a pinch.

The apples as a filling for a simple Apple Galette.

Spiced Apples

INGREDIENTS

3-4 lbs apples, peeled and sliced (McIntosh, Granny Smith, or other pie type apple)
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 Tbsp butter

DIRECTIONS
Toss the apples with the lemon juice in a casserole dish
Mix in brown sugar and spices
Cut butter up into small pieces and dot around the top of the apples
Heat in the oven at 350 until apples are softened and spices and sugar are bubbling about 20 minutes

Buttermilk Pecan Pie

Check back the day after Thanksgiving for pictures. I don't care for the corn syrup in typical pecan pies. So this is my substitute. This is one of the more complicated recipes you will find on this site. It's being featured for Thanksgiving, I will try to find an easy Pecan Pie recipe as well. If you don't want to go through all the work. After 15-20 minutes, I recommend slipping a pie crust guard or aluminum foil over the exposed crust at the edge of the pie. This is adapted from a Holiday Cooking Special I watched on DIY Network about 3 years ago.

Buttermilk Pecan Pie

INGREDIENTS

One 9" baked pie shell, bring to room temp if it's coming out of the refrigerator
6 Tbs. unsalted butter, cut into 1/2"-1" pieces
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/3 tsp. salt
3 large eggs
2/3 cup buttermilk
2 tsp pure vanilla
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans

DIRECTIONS

Adjust oven rack to center position, and heat oven to 275 degrees.

Melt butter in medium heatproof bowl set in skillet of water maintained at just below simmer. Remove bowl from skillet; mix in sugar and salt with wooden spoon until butter is absorbed. Beat in eggs, then buttermilk. Return bowl to hot water; stir until mixture is shiny and warm to the touch, about 130 degrees. Remove from heat; stir in pecans.

Pour mixture into warm shell; bake until center feels set yet soft (like gelatin) when gently pressed, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer pie to rack; let cool completely. Serve pie at room temperature or warm, with lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Serves 8.

Apple Pomegranate

Simple, yet delicious. I don't really even know what to call this. Pumpkin Pie Spice is a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and ground cloves, feel free to replace the Pumpkin Pie Spice with a sprinkle of each of the above. My husband and I split this, so I'd say serves 2. For a beautiful presentation, it would serve 1.

Apple Pomegranate

INGREDIENTS
1 baking apple (I used a McIntosh)
1 Tbsp pomegranate seeds
1 1/2 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp butter
1/8-1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

DIRECTIONS
Core apple
Place apple in a bowl
Place butter in the hole
Sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice, get most of it in the hole
Fill hole with brown sugar
Microwave on high 90 seconds
Fill hole with pomegranate seeds
Spoon brown sugar syrup in bottom of bowl over seeds
Microwave on high 20 seconds

SERVING SUGGESTIONS
I like it as is, however my husband thinks this is great with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a bit of whip cream.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut Butter Cookies are my favorite cookie, not too sweet, both chewy and crisp.
My niece loves to make them with me, and while she likes to criss-cross the cookies, I'm guessing it's the sampling afterwards that she loves best.




Peanut Butter Cookies are fairly forgiving as evidenced by all the flour-free and no-bake versions. Personally, my favorite recipe for them is in the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book. I use parchment paper or a baking stone to keep them from getting dark on the bottom. I only leave them in for the minimum amount of time, because they'll continue to cook a bit when they come out, and I find that makes for the best chewy inside and crisp outside.

Here is the recipe as I make it.

Peanut Butter Cookies

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Sugar for rolling
Parchment paper

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375
In a mixing bowl beat butter, peanut butter and sugar until creamy
Beat in egg, vanilla, baking powder and baking soda
Add the flour by 1/4 cup full, mixing until just combined each time (don't overmix)
Shape dough into 1-inch balls
Tear parchment paper to fit cookie sheet (if not using a baking stone or airbake type sheet)
Roll cookies in sugar
Place balls on cookie sheet about 2-in. apart
Criss-cross with a fork
Bake for 7 minutes (or until they look done)
Let cool for 1 minute, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely
Makes 36

VARIATION
At Christmas time I don't criss-cross them, I just push a chocolate star into them as soon as they come out of the oven

Annual Cookie Swap

Last year was the first time in years that I didn't host an annual cookie swap. Things just don't feel right when you let a tradition fall by the wayside. So I will be picking it up again this year. In the past, I have always invited 8-10 people to participate. We each make a dozen for each participant, plus a dozen to share at the exchange. So you make about 9-11 dozen of one cookie type, but get to bring home 8-10 dozen different cookie types. I get the recipes from each person a little early so I can compile a small recipe book for each person that joins us. I always do this shortly before Thanksgiving so people have plenty to share for the entire holiday season.

This is the recipe I'll make this year, I believe it is based on a cookie recipe from the December 1995 issue of Southern Living (The Twelve Doughs of Christmas). However, I'm not 100% sure on that. If you don't want to go through the trouble of making Candy Canes, eliminate the red food coloring and the egg in the topping and just mix the crushed peppermint candy from the topping into the cookies, roll the dough in small balls and press with glass dipped in the sugar from the topping to make circles and bake. I've made them this way for many year and they are my favorite easy Christmas cookie. For the cookie swap, I'll actually take the time to make them into Candy Canes though.

Candy Canes

INGREDIENTS
Cookie:
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. shortening, softened
1 c. confectioners sugar
2 1/2 c. unsifted all-purpose flour
1 egg
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. red food coloring
3/4 t. peppermint extract

Topping:
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. finely crushed peppermint candy
1 egg white

DIRECTIONS
In large bowl with electric mixer ( medium speed,) cream butter, shortening, sugar, and egg until light and fluffy. Add extracts. In medium bowl, combine flour and salt, gradually add to creamed mixture and continue beating just until combined.

Divide dough in half; add food coloring to one half, mixing well. Wrap each half in waxed paper and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Pull off about 1 teaspoon of each dough ( white and pink). On lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a 5 inch long rope. Place ropes side by side and carefully twist together.

Place on greased cookie sheet and shape to form a candy cane. Repeat with remaining dough. Bake at 375 degrees for 9-10 minutes, or until golden at edges. Remove from oven and place on wax paper. Brush lightly with egg whites and sprinkle candy topping over cookies. Let cool and place in air tight container.

Serves : 36

Pumpkin Cookies

Kelly over at Buzzville just posted what sounds like a delicious pumpkin bar recipe and requested a pumpkin cookie recipe. So I shared mine. Fall has arrived and isn't shy about making itself known. The air is getting crisp and quite cold in the evenings here in Grand Forks, and the leaves are turning a creamy butternut squash color. So thanks to her post I'll be making pumpkin cookies this weekend.

Pumpkin Cookies

INGREDIENTS
Cookies:
1 c sugar
1 c canned pumpkin
1/2 c butter softened
1 Tbsp grated orange peel
2 c whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c golden raisins
1/2 c chopped nuts (your choice)

Glaze:
1/4 c butter
2 c powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1-2 Tbsp milk

DIRECTIONS
Cookies:
Preheat oven to 375
Cream sugar, pumpkin, butter and orange peel
Sift together dry ingredients
Add pumpkin mixture to dry ingredients and mix until blended
Fold in raisins and nuts
Drop by teaspoonful on ungreased cookie sheet
Bake for 8-10 minutes

Glaze:
Heat butter in saucepan until delicately brown
Stir in vanilla and powdered sugar (I sift mine into the pot to remove clumps)
Add milk until smooth
Dip cookie tops in, or drizzle on top.

*Cross posted from Erleichda