Time to Bake!!!!

                                                     Time to Bake!!!!!!!!


In honor of the upcoming Christmas cookie baking season, here is one of my 

favorite family recipes.

                                    Mincemeat Gems


1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups unbleached flour

1 tsp. salt

one jar (1 lb. 2 ounces) prepared mincemeat

21 maraschino cherries, drained and halved

Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Blend in walnuts, egg and vanilla. Stir together flour and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Drop dough by level tablespoons unto ungreased cookie sheet. 

with a teaspoon, make a well in the middle of each cookie. Place rounded teaspoon of mincemeat in center of each cookie; top with half of a cherry. 

Bake in preheated 400 degree F oven for 10-12 minutes, or until done. 

Makes 3-4 dozen cookies.

Spiced Pumpkin Bread Pudding

                                                        Spiced Pumpkin Bread Pudding
                                              (from Fine Cooking Magazine)


2  15-oz. cans pure pumpkin puree

2 cups whole milk

2 cups heavy cream

2 cups packed dark brown sugar

8 large eggs

1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract

1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

1 tsp. fine sea salt

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1 1/2 lb. challah brioche, or other soft egg bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 16 cups)

Confectioner's sugar, for dusting (optional)

Unsweetened or lightly whipped cream, for serving

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 X 13-inch (or similar) baking dish.

Whisk the pumpkin, milk, cream, sugar, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, and cloves in a very large bowl until well blended. Fold in the bread cubes and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes so the bread can absorb some of the custard. Re-toss and transfer the mixture to the prepared dish. (If making ahead, cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.)

Bake until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool slightly, at least 20 minutes.

Serve warm or at room temperature, dusted with confectioner's sugar (optional), and accompanied by the whipped cream.

Serves 12.

Maple-Apple Upside-Down Buttermilk Cake

                                   Maple-Apple Upside-Down Buttermilk Cake
                                                         (from flour,too cookbook)

1 1/2 cups maple syrup

1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature

4 Granny Smith, or other firm, tart apples, halved, peeled, cored, and each half cut into 8 slices

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. kosher salt

2 large eggs, at room temperature

2 egg yolks, at room temperature

3/4 cup nonfat buttermilk, at room temperature

1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

1 1/3 cups granulated sugar


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place rack in center of oven. Butter and flour the cake pan.

2. In a medium saucepan, carefully bring the maple syrup to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 40-45 minutes, or until thickened, dark, and reduced to about 1 cup. (It foams up in the pan, so be sure to use a pan that is large enough, so it doesn't boil over. Once it foams, reduce the heat to maintain a low simmer; if it keeps foaming it will start to burn.)

3. Remove the pan from the heat, and whisk in the 2 Tbsp. of butter. Pour the maple syrup into the prepared cake pan. Arrange the apple slices in concentric circles in the bottom of the pan, making a second layer on top of the first if they don't all fit in a single layer. 

4. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the whole eggs, egg yolks, buttermilk, and vanilla. Set aside both bowls.

5. Using a stand or handheld mixer, and a large bowl, beat the remaining 1 cup of butter ans sugar on medium speed, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl several times, for 6-7 minutes, or until light, pale and fluffy.

On low speed, add about 1/3 of the flour mixture, and beat for about 15 seconds, or until almost fully incorporated. Add about half of the egg-buttermilk mixture, and beat until almost thoroughly incorporated. Stop the mixer, and scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle.

Add half of the remaining flour mixture, and beat until almost fully incorporated. Add the remaining egg-buttermilk mixture, and beat until almost fully incorporated. Remove the bowl from the mixer, and fold in the remaining flour mixture with a rubber spatula, just until fully incorporated. 

Top the apples and maple syrup with dollops of the batter, and then spread evenly with the spatula.

6. Bake the cake for 60-70 minutes, or until golden brown, and the middle springs back when poked gently. Let cool in pan on wire rack for about an hour. 

7. Carefully invert the cake onto a serving plate while it is still warm, so that the apples will release from the pan. Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Serves 8-10.

Great reads for cooks...

                                  Great reads for cooks...

  I just received one of my all-time favorite cookbooks, and it isn't on the market!
It's a unique mixture of my family members' favorite recipes, typed up and pictures of each person and the completed dessert included! This treasure was a gift to me from one of our sons, for my birthday. It is my favorite cookbook because it possesses all three of my criteria, highlighting the personal connection aspect!  

  After looking through this homemade cookbook, I began thinking about what constitutes a memorable cookbook, and I think I have some ideas to share on this:

1.) Personal connection-each cookbook that I return to over and over again has this characteristic for me. Notice that I said that I return to over and over again...not necessarily make a recipe out of. This is a critical distinction, as some cookbooks are just for ideas and inspiration, and others are for actual use.
A cookbook I own that holds a deep personal connection for me is a beat-up copy of The Ford Treasury of Favorite Recipes from Famous Eating Places, copyright 1954, and given to me by my father. The personal connection comes from that fact, along with the Pine Tavern, Bend, Oregon entry for Wild Rice Dressing. My parents lived in Bend for 14 years, and I've eaten at the Pine Tavern with them a few times over the years.

2.) Inspiring- this is a difficult characteristic to describe, and is unique to each cook. For me, the clear directions of a recipe combined with some nice color pictures is enough to provide inspiration. A good example of this is Lidia's Italy by Lidia Bastianich. This cookbook capitalizes on close-up color photos, along with regional specialties from ten different regions in Italy.

3.) Challenging- if a cookbook looks too basic or easy, then I lose interest. I've been cooking long enough to recognize a basic beginner cookbook when I see it. 
Two cookbooks that have always kept my interest are: Monday Night at Narsai's by Narsai David, and The San Francisco Chronicle Cookbook. These two books never fail to offer challenge because of their wide variety of recipes.

~Kathy~

German Chocolate Brownies

             
                                                German Chocolate Brownies
                                            (from Bon Appetit Magazine)


Brownies:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder

2 1/2 cups sugar

2 cups solid vegetable shortening

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. salt

6 large eggs

Topping:

1 1/2 cups half and half

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes

6 large egg yolks

1 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

24 ounces sweetened flaked coconut

2 cups chopped pecans

Brownies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 17x11x1-inch rimmed baking sheet. Whisk flour and cocoa in medium bowl.

Using mixer, beat sugar and next 4 ingredients in large bowl. Beat in eggs.

Add flour mixture and beat just to blend. Spread to edges on prepared baking sheet.

Bake until tester inserted in center comes out clean...about 23 minutes. Cool completely on baking sheet on rack.

Topping:

Stir half and half, sugar, butter, egg yolks, and vanilla in large saucepan over medium heat until mixture thickens and thermometer reads 180 degrees, stirring constantly...about 15 minutes (do not allow mixture to boil). Fold coconut and pecans into topping. Chill for 1 hour. Spread topping over brownies.

Julia's Tarte Aux Fraises

                                         
                                              Tarte Aux Fraises-Fresh Strawberry Tart

                                   (from Mastering the Art of French Cooking

                                                                     by Julia Child)

10-inch fully baked sweet pastry crust

1 1/3 cups flour

3-7 Tbsp. granulated sugar

1/8 tsp. double-acting baking powder

7 Tbsp. fat: 5 Tbsp. chilled butter and 2 Tbsp. chilled vegetable shortening

1 egg beaten with 1 tsp. water

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Place the flour, sugar, butter, vegetable shortening, and baking powder in mixing bowl. Rub the fat and dry ingredients together rapidly with the tips of your fingers until the fat is broken into bits the size of small oatmeal flakes. Blend in the egg and vanilla, and knead the dough rapidly into a ball. Place on a board, and with the heel of your hand gently knead the dough together. The dough will be very sticky if you have used the full amount of sugar. Form into a ball, wrap in waxed paper, and chill for several hours until firm.

Roll out, and fit into 10-inch springform pan. Bake in preheated 375 degree ovenfor 8-10 minutes, or until lightly golden.

1 cup red currant jelly       Boil the currant jelly and sugar in a small saucepan
                                     until the candy thermometer registers 228 degrees.
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar   Paint the interior of the pastry shell with currant 
                                      glaze. Let the glaze set for 5 minutes. This will 
                                      give the shell a light waterproofing. Reserve the
                                      rest of the glaze for the strawberries.

1 1/2 to 2 cups chilled custard filling:

Creme Patissiere

Makes about 2 1/2 cups

1 cup granulated sugar       Gradually beat the sugar into egg yolks and
                                       continue beating for 2-3 minutes until the mixture
5 egg yolks                       is pale yellow and forms a ribbon (the mixture will
                                       thicken enough so that when some is lifted with a
                                       spoon and allowed to fall off the spoon, it forms a
                                       slowly dissolving ribbon on the surface of the 
                                       mixture.

1/2 cup flour                      Beat in the flour.

2 cups boiling milk             Beating the yolk mixture, gradually pour on the 
                                       boiling milk in a thin stream of droplets.

                   

                   Pour into saucepan and set over moderately high 
                                       heat. Stir with a wire whip constantly, making 
                                       sure to adjust the heat so the bottom of the
                                       custard doesn't burn or stick.As sauce comes to a                                        boil it will get lumpy, but will smooth out as you
                                       beat it. When boil is reached, beat over 
                                       moderately low heat for 2-3 minutes to cook the 
                                       flour.Be careful not to scorch custard in bottom of                                        pan.

1Tbsp. butter                     Remove from heat and beat in the butter and 
2 tsp. vanilla extract           flavorings. If not used immediately, dot with
3 Tbsp. rum                       butter to prevent a skin from forming on the
                                        surface. This can keep for a week in the
                                        refrigerator, or it may be frozen. 
                                            

To put together the strawberry tart:

Spread 1/2 inch layer of custard in the bottom of the pastry shell. Arrange a design of strawberries over the cream. Cover each berry with a thin coat of currant glaze. Serves 8.

                                      

Bon Apetit!

Baking with Julia Child...

                                                                 Baking with Julia Child

O.K., let's get this cleared up...I don't mean baking with the Julia Child, as sadly, she passed away in 2004. What I mean is baking Julia's dessert recipes from her Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Yesterday as I looked through the dessert recipes in this masterpiece cookbook, I thought to myself- I can do this! This confident thought was most likely influenced by my recent rereading of Julia's My Life in France, and furthered along by watching the film Julie and Julia for the fifth time. I love that movie!

So, I will begin this challenge by making Tarte Aux Fraises ( Fresh strawberry tart), using Julia's recipe. This will force me to use more recipes in this expensive cookbook, given to me by one of our sons (Matt), for Christmas in 2009.

Stay tuned! Bon Appetit!

~Kathy~
                             

Key Lime Pie

                   

                                            Key Lime Pie
                                                      (from The Cracker Kitchen Cookbook)


1/2 cup fresh Key Lime juice

4 tsp. grated lime zest

2 large egg yolks

14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

graham cracker crust

whipped topping (optional)


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. In a mixing bowl, beat the lime juice, lime zest and egg yolks together    
    until smooth. add the condensed milk and beat until thickened.

3. Fill the crust with the lime mixture. Bake for 15 minutes, till the center is set.

4. Let cool, then refrigerate until cold. Top with whipped cream if desired.
    Serves 6.

Baking on the pavement...

             Baking on the pavement, or, what to bake when it's 100 degrees?



   I LOVE to bake! Hopefully this has become obvious over the course of this blog. However, as much as I love to bake...I hate to bake when it's HOT outside! Currently, the mercury is hovering around 100 degrees in the shade...prime time for heading to the beach or pool...but not for mixing up batter in the kitchen!

   So, as the temps stay high, I will search for cool and cold "baked" goods for my blog....nothing that I have to use the oven for...this should be an interesting challenge! Stay tuned!


~Kathy~

Refrigerator Spice Cookies

                                                     Refrigerator Spice Cookies 
                                        (from The Fannie Farmer Baking Book)

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 Tbsp. water

1 1/2 cups flour

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. allspice

1/2 tsp. powdered ginger

1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

1/2 cup chopped dates (optional)


1.  Cream the shortening and sugar together, then add the egg and water, and beat until light and fluffy. 

2.  Stir and toss together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and ginger. Add to the creamed mixture, and beat until the dough is completely mixed.

Stir in the nuts, or dates, or both...if you wish.

3.  Shape the dough into rolls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Flour your hands and the work surface if necessary to prevent the dough from sticking. Wrap in waxed paper, and chill until firm. 

4.   Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease two cookie sheets. With a thin, sharp knife, slice the dough into rounds about 1/3 inch thick. Place about 1-inch apart on the prepared cookie sheets, and bake for about 10 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly browned. Transfer to racks to cool.Makes about 25-30 cookies.