Cook Mistro

Easy, rich Cherry Clafouti

2016-07-13T18:58:00.001-04:00

This is a perfect treat for the summer but makes a great, rich statement piece for Fall and Winter holidays too. Many use cherries and put them. That's a lot of work but probably the best way to make this. You can use cherries as is. Just twist off the stems and the cherries will break open revealing the pit which you can easily fork out. That's the most traditional way to make this.

I'm going to use the easy way but I'm going to use cream with the milk and 4 eggs so that it REALLY tastes like custard. I'm also using lemon zest and Pure Vanilla extract which I bought from my visit to the island of Grenada. Of course, the fresher the ingredients the better it tastes. It's best I vamp up on freshness since I'm going to use canned cherries.

Ingredients

2 cups of fresh sweet cherries, pitted
2 tablespoons of blanched slivered almonds
3 eggs
3/4 cup of sugar
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
1/2 cup of all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon of salt
1 cup of milk (2% or whole milk)
3/4 teaspoon of almond extract (can sub 2 teaspoons of Amaretto)
1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
Powdered sugar for dusting

METHOD
HIDE PHOTOS

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and lightly flour a 9X9 or 10X7 baking dish. Scatter the cherries and slivered almonds over the bottom of the dish.

2 Whisk the eggs and sugars together until smooth. Whisk in the salt and flour until smooth.

3 Add the milk, almond extract, and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth. Pour into the baking dish over the cherries and slivered almonds.

4 Bake for 35-45 minutes or until lightly browned and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Check about halfway through the baking and if the top is getting well browned tent it loosely with aluminum foil.

When you pull it put of the oven it will wiggle a bit which is normal. Place on a wire rack to cool. The clafoutis will have puffed up quite a bit and will deflate while cooling. When cool dust the clafoutis with powdered sugar. Serve.

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The easiest way to pit cherries? With a cherry pitter!

Showing 4 of 94 Comments

Sharon

I will need to use frozen cherries. Should I defrost these before making the desert? Thank you.
- · 1 Reply
Cheryl

Sorry but I didnt care for this at all. Expected a softer custard and didn’t think it had much flavor.
crystal

This was divine! Can’t wait to try it with blueberries.
Melinda

That’s such a pretty baking dish – do you remember where you got it or who makes it?
Muriel

I tried it this morning with fresh strawberries from our garden, and used almond flour. Although it tastes delicious, the ‘custard’ has turned a bit eggy and omelette like. Is this normal and how would I stop this happening? It is not very custardy.

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Home made Rice pudding (Pressure Cooker)

2016-01-06T16:58:00.001-05:00

This recipe took me a number of tries and I am sure……a number of pounds onto my hips. I wasn't getting the consistency right. I think was an excuse to keep making the rice pudding. After all, it's mostly custard which is delicious home made…eggs, cream, vanilla essence and sugar. The smell is delightful. Yankee Candle has captured that smell along with Bath and Body fragrances. Still, it's not the same as fresh, home made custard.

My husband has German roots and it was the start of the Advent season into Christmas. So, I took out my Emeril Pressure cooker and off I went, trying to get my rice pudding recipe just right. Alas, just in time for my cousin's Christmas party, it came out perfectly! I even got a, "thumbs up" from cousin Sue who is a bit picky with a discriminating palette. I am super happy.

Ingredients

2 eggs

2 tablespoons of butter or margarine

1/2 tsp salt

1 tablespoon of Vanilla Essence

Cinnamon

1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar -or somewhere in the middle of that

3/4 cup of Arborio rice (usually used to make Risotto)

3 cups of water

1 cup of light cream/additional 1/2 cup of light cream for custard mix

1/2 cup Evaporated milk

Turn the Pressure Cooker on sauté and melt 2 tablespoons of butter or margarine into the cooker. Add rice and stir to coat the rice. Then add 3 cups of water and 1 cup of light cream along with the salt and sugar.

Put the pressure cooker on High for 10 minutes.

While the pressure cooker is on, pour the evaporated milk and light cream into a sauce pan. Do not heat until you add the 2 eggs. (If you heat first and then add the eggs, they will instantly turn into scrambled eggs). Stir and add Vanilla essence. Enjoy the smell and the thickening mixture which is essentially, custard.

When the rice in the pressure cooker is done, let the steam out and stir. Then add the custard in the saucepan to the rice mixture but make sure to TEMPER the custard as it will turn into solid egg as well. Put the pressure cooker back on sauté and add some of the rice mixture to the custard mixture to temper, mix and add to rice mixture. Do this a few times to prevent custard from turning into egg.

When the custard mixture has been entirely mixed with the rice mixture with the pressure cooker on sauté, use a big spoon to mix the pudding slowly. Let the pudding pucker and bubble under the heat and keep stirring for at least 5-10 minutes. The custard will thicken as will the starch from the rice to thicken the texture of the pudding. You may want to add raisons if you like. Cut back a bit on sugar if you do so. Keep stirring. The pudding will look a bit runny but pour into a container and set aside to cool. Make sure to sprinkle some cinnamon on top of the mixture before it cools since it will develop a thin film.

Cover and place in the refrigerator so you can enjoy later. You can adjust the sugar the next time and stir longer to make sure the pudding is thick enough and not runny. Use less cream if your stomach gets upset from the richness from the fat and substitute with evaporated and/or regular milk.

Enjoy the smell and taste of fresh custard and rice pudding.

IHOP Pumpkin Pancakes

2015-12-05T21:51:00.000-05:00

by Copycat recipes

These pancakes are amazing. Every Fall season my husband and I enjoy the pumpkin pancakes. Finally, I found this recipe and made them myself. The only thing I would change about the recipe below is adding a touch more sugar.

You can buy Pumpkin Pie Spice in the store but it is easy enough to create. Just mix some cinnamon, nutmeg, Allspice, Ginger and clove together. I'd stay heavy on the Cinnamon and not too much nutmeg, ginger or clove.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 cup vegetable oil
1 egg ( slightly beaten )
1 1/2 cups buttermilk ( 1/8 - 1/4 cup more if needed to keep batter thinner )
1/3 cup pureed pumpkin (pumpkin from a can will work)
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

In a medium sized bowl add flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and baking soda, whisk together with a fork to blend all of the dry ingredients. Add vegetable oil, slightly beaten egg, 1 and 1/2 cups of buttermilk and stir until mixture is just well blended. Add pumpkin, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice and stir until you have a uniform mixture.

Heat a frying pan to a medium heat or use a griddle and heat to 350 degrees. Oil the cooking area slightly with vegetable oil, and then pour batter onto surface. I find about 1/2 cup of batter creates a pancake that is easy to handle. Flip your pancake over when you see the edges of the pancake become dry and small bubbles from on the uncooked side. After pancakes are flipped cook for another minute or two.

Turning pancakes is made much easier if you spray your pancake turner with a non stick spray.

This recipe makes about nine 4" - 5" pancakes. Serve warm with your favorite syrup.

When the edges become more solidified and the pancake top is bubbling, this is the time to flip the pancake over before it burns on the bottom.

Easy Patriotic Light Summer Cake with Berries and Cream

2014-05-24T15:13:00.004-04:00

The thing about Memorial Day and July fourth, here in the States, is that it's usually warm outside yet we like to have treats with our hamburgers and hot dogs. Sometimes those, "treats" can be too heavy for a warm, summer day. Often people make something "light" to serve their guests.
Here's a simple, fun patriotic cake that is light and delicious yet playful with it's flag like colors, great for any occasion but even more relevant for those patriotic holidays!

You will need:
-a Bundt pan with a hole in the center to hold fruit
-White cake mix (It's usually white)
- (2) packages of Jello mix. One red as in Strawberry and one Blue.
-Cool Whip
-red and blue berries. I am going to use cut up strawberries and blueberries.

Step 1. Baking the cake
Simply follow the directions for the cake mix. Make sure to bake in a Bundt pan or anything with a circle in the middle to put the fresh fruit in later.

Step 2. Let the cake cool

Step 3. Make and pour the jello

Follow the directions for the red berry and blue berry Jello mix. Let the liquid cool a bit but don't let it form as jello.
Use a THIN instrument to poke holes in the cake. Start from one end and poke a hole, another one an inch away in the direction from the Bundt cake hole towards the edge.
Take a spoon and poor some red liquid jello into the holes that are in a row to keep the color consistent.
Then do the same for the blue liquid jello next to the red, creating a second row and so on until you've gone in a complete circle around the cake
*Don't over pour.

Step 4. Put the plain cake with the jello inside of it, into the refrigerator so the jello solidifies

Step 5. Wash and cut up fruit (if you're using strawberries you can cut it) or if raspberries, you can leave it whole with the blueberries. Fruit should be red and blue.

Step 6. Final preparations to cake and then serve

When the cake has been in the refrigerator long enough and you're ready to serve, put the fruit in the center of the cake
Spread the Cool Whip on the cake as desired. You can add more fruit on the top if you wish.
Keep cool before and after serving.

Enjoy!!!

Easy Scone Recipe

2014-01-05T13:08:00.005-05:00

Easy Scone Recipe by By Danilo Alfaro

This recipe for scones is really easy to make and the scones are light, flaky and buttery. It's a basic recipe made with dried currants, which is simple and classic. But there are endless variations.

One key thing with making scones is that it's important to work the dough as little as possible, otherwise theglutens in the flour will overdevelop and the resulting scones will be too hard.

Another very common baking mistake is using old baking powder, and then wondering why your scones or cake or whatever didn't rise. This happens all the time, and it's unfortunate because it's such an easy problem to avoid.

If the baking powder in your pantry is more than six months old, replace it. And if you can't remember how old it is, replace it. Baking powder loses its potency quickly, and your scones won't rise properly if it's too old. Fortunately, a fresh container of baking powder is really inexpensive.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour (260 grams)
1 Tbsp baking powder
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
½ tsp salt (table salt, not Kosher)
4 Tbsp butter (½ stick)
3 eggs
½ cup heavy cream, plus more as needed
½ cup dried currants

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Prepare your baking sheet pan by greasing it with butter or shortening or lining it with parchment paper. Or use a silicone baking mat, which is my favorite technique.
Beat one of the eggs along with a tablespoon of water in a small bowl and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.

Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles large crumbs.

In a separate bowl, beat the remaining two eggs and stir in the cream. Then stir the egg-cream mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir in the currants.

Turn the dough out onto a floured board and press it together into a single lump. If it doesn't hold together yet, add more cream, a tablespoon at a time, until it does. Don't overwork the dough, though.

Roll the dough out to a thickness of 1 inch. Cut into rounds with a round or fluted pastry cutter. Or you could cut the dough into triangular wedges, which will reduce the amount of scraps you end up with.
Arrange the scones on your prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops of the scones with the egg white, and transfer the pan to the oven. Bake 15 minutes or until golden.

Makes 8-12 scones, depending on how big you cut them.

Candy Cane Cookies Revisited

2013-12-20T19:29:00.001-05:00

Tis’ the season for baking cookies. Unlike my sister and mother, I don’t have time or patience for all the SUPER "home made" cookies that take days of preparation. (I mean, you REALLY have to see them go at it! :) I usually make the same two batches of cookies every year-Candy Cane butter cookies and Gingerbread cookies. I don't want to make a chore out of it so I put on the Christmas music in the background and my husband assists as elf. I find him especially cute during these times and it's a fun evening away from the TV for a change!!

I love these candy cane cookies the most and have made them since I was a kid in the late 1970’s. I remember the book my mom found the recipe in. She still has it today only it’s falling apart, pages hanging off the spiral binding. This recipe has brought us endless joy in making these festive, tasty, butter-sugar cookies every year. There’s nothing like the mix of salt and sugar that a butter cookie creates. I think that's why chocolate with peanut butter is another favorite of mine.

I am truly in heaven when I eat these cookies and they’re not that difficult to make. Kids enjoy it too. It reminds them of Play Doh with the red colored balls and there’s always some peppermint candy that makes it’s way into everyone’s mouth along with some cookie dough! My mother always said, "don't eat too much raw dough or it will send you running to the bathroom." It never did but perhaps I was afraid to eat TOO much of it due to her warnings!

Anyhow, this is a fun recipe and makes for delicious, festive cookies. I am happy to share them with you. Enjoy!

Ingredients

½ cup sugar

1 cup butter = 2 sticks

2 ½ cups flour

1 tsp salt

1 egg

1 ½ tsp almond extract

1 tsp vanilla essence

Red food coloring

Pepperment candies crushed (or use peppermint extract)

Bake for 9 minutes at 375 degrees F

Directions

Combine sugar and butter. Mix well. Sift flour and add to the sugar-butter mix. Then add the next four ingredients.

Ground up peppermint candy (or use peppermint extract) and add to dough. I used my Cuisinart Infusion blender which comes with a mini food processor/chopper. The mini food processor made peppermint powder out of the hard candies in seconds! For the dough, I used my KitchenAid Stand Mixer with the dough hook giving it a perfect texture, saving my arm from the hardy stirring.

When the dough becomes cohesive and tight, divide into two balls. Put aside cookie dough for the white part of the cookie. Then add red food coloring to the other batch and blend until dough is red. Refrigerate both balls of dough for a few hours.

After refrigeration, find a prep area for the two balls of dough. Pinch a piece of the white dough and roll into a ball. Do the same with the red dough making both balls the same size. Use the table or counter to roll out both colored balls into 4 or 5 inch strips and twist both red and white strips together. Give the twisted strips one last roll on a flat surface so both pieces become one and add to cookie tray, curving the top part of the candy cane into a hook.

Sprinkle Confectioner’s sugar on top of the cookies and bake for 9 minutes at 375 degrees F

The Story Behind The Candy Cane

By Ace Collins Stories Behind The Great Traditions Of Christmas

There are probably as many legends centered on the candy cane as any other Christmas tradition. Many of the tales that are known today about this familiar hook-shaped peppermint stick are probably as much fable as fact. Nevertheless, in the last seventy-five years, the symbolism of the candy cane, born of legend and now brought to life by a unique striping design, has made it one of the best teaching tools found during the holiday season.

Hard candy has been around almost as long as people have been yearning for sweets. For over a thousand years hard candy has been used to reward children who were good. Yet the multi-colored candy that is seen on store selves today did not exist until the last one hundred years. Because of the time it took to add additional colors by hand, in the past hard candy was usually found in a single color.

When children began to receive special treats on St. Nicholas Day in the fourth century, hard candy was probably one of the first things enjoyed. Yet because the ingredients for this candy were not easy to obtain, and most peasants did not have enough money to purchase these treats often, the sweet was probably a rare delicacy in most households. This rarity and the popularity of the treat means that the first Christian legend associated with the candy cane is probably based on actual events.

Church history records that in 1670, the choirmaster at Germany’s Cologne Cathedral was faced with a problem that still challenges parents, teachers, and choir directors. In ancient Cologne, as well as in thousands of churches today, the children in the choir often grew restless and noisy during especially long services. Most authority figures of the time would have handled this situation through punishment, usually a switch. Yet the choirmaster, who had seen this tactic used time and again, knew that the punitive practice only worked for short periods of time. Soon the painful lesson had been forgotten and the children where again fidgeting and whispering to one another.

The choirmaster came up with a sweetly brilliant plan. He sought out a local candy maker. After looking over the treats in his shop, the music leader paused in front of some white sweet sticks. He knew that children liked this treat, and better yet, it took them a long time to consume the sticks. So this candy seemed perfect for what he needed — a way to keep the children quiet when they were not singing. Yet the choirmaster wondered if the priests and parents would allow him to give the children in his choir candy to eat during a church service. The congregation and clergy would get upset if the children were not quiet, but they would probably also be offended if the kids were eating candy in the sanctuary.

Then inspiration struck! The choirmaster asked the candy maker if he could bend the sticks and make a crook at the top of each one. When the confectioner assured the director that he could, a plan was hatched. The candy would not be just a treat, but it would be a teaching tool. The choirmaster decided that the candy’s pure white color would represent the sinless life of Christ. The crook would serve as a way for the children to remember the story of the shepherds who came to visit the baby Jesus. The shepherds carried staffs or canes, and with the hook at the top of the stick the candy now looked like a cane.

Right before the service the music leader gathered his flock around him and told them the symbolic story of the white candy stick. The congregation and the priests also were enamored with the choirmaster’s inventive tale and believed the use of biblical truths in the lesson to be indeed inspired. But the ultimate compliment for the choirmaster came when his choir was so busy enjoying their long lasting treats that they didn’t disturb the Christmas Eve service at all. Thus began the simple candy cane’s association with the Christian faith.

Within a hundred years, white candy canes were being placed on Christmas trees in Germany. Some may have known the story the choirmaster told his charges in Cologne, but it was more likely that most of those who hung these treats on the tree did so because the hook made it easy to use. The bottom line was that children could not wait for the time to take the tree down, usually on January 6th, the day of Epiphany, so that they could finally eat the decorations.

Another persistent legend surrounding the candy cane is tied to Oliver Cromwell’s rule in England, a time when Christmas celebrations were banned by the Puritan leader. During this short historical period, it is said that a dedicated Christian confectioner created a candy cane as a way for Christians to recognize each other on the street. The candy was supposed to be a type of code or signal, like a secret handshake. These canes, decorated by three tiny red stripes (which represented the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), and another bold thick red stripe that demonstrated the redemptive power of Christ’s blood, were given out to those who professed Christ as their savior.

Could this have been true? Possibly, but as the striping would have had to have been accomplished by hand and would have taken a long time, it is doubtful that the candy maker could have distributed very many of the canes. Thus the symbolic practice would have been observed in only a small part of England, possibly one community or village. Also, though Christmas was officially banned, corporate worship was not, so the need for a symbol of this type would have seemed unnecessary.

More than likely, if the candy maker legend is true, it probably happened not during Cromwell’s reign, but rather when all religions but the Church of England were officially banned. The candy maker could have been a member of an outlawed Protestant faith or the Catholic Church and was using the cane as a teaching tool. So, though largely unsubstantiated, there probably is some truth in this story and the legend survives to this day.

Europeans must have brought the candy cane with them to the United States before the revolution of 1776. Yet the treat’s identification with Christmas didn’t take root until Americans began to celebrate Christmas with presents, trees, and family gatherings two decades before the Civil War. It is said that a German-Swedish immigrant, August Imgard, was the first in the United States to use candy canes as ornaments. In 1847, he placed them on the fir tree he had brought into his Wooster, Ohio home for a holiday decoration. The idea quickly caught on. There are many American Christmas illustrations from the second half of the nineteenth century that show the cane as a part of holiday festivities, but in each case the candy is solid white.

By the turn of the century, the candy cane was incredibly popular during all times of the year, but it was not until the 1920s that it took on it current look. Bob McCormick, who ran a small confectionery in Albany, Georgia, found a way to hand-twist colors into the candy canes. Soon the process was used by others. An Indiana candy maker, whose brother was a priest, knew the old story of the red and white candy cane being used as a way to identify Christians in England. The Christian candy maker created canes that reflected this legend, as well as his own belief. Each of this man’s festive sticks was made with the symbolism of the trinity and the redeeming blood, the hook for the shepherd’s staff, and the white for the purity of Christ. It is even said that in this case, the hook was really the upside-down letter “J,” standing for Jesus. So while the spiritual meaning of the original colored candy cane might well have been a legend in England, within the past century the legendary symbolism has become a reality in the United States and throughout much of the world.

There can be little doubt that hard candy has been associated with the holiday season as long as children have looked forward to seeing St. Nicholas or Christians have repeated the story of Jesus’ birth. Yet the candy cane that probably first appeared at a church service in the Middle Ages, used then as a tool to both teach and appease children, has become one of the sweetest reminders of the real reason for the Christmas season and one of the few holiday traditions that portrays the meaning of why Jesus was born.

Pasta with Spinach and Pink Sauce

2013-08-30T18:54:00.001-04:00

Another semi quick, somewhat healthy meal for us working mom's, wives or whoever is in charge of making dinner on a daily basis for the fam!!

NOTE:If you have these ingredients on hand, you can whip up something quick. For a gourmet dish, substitute with other ingredients but that will take longer and be unhealthier.

Ingredients:
-Bird's Eye Chopped Spinach
-Penne
-Prego Spaghetti Sauce
-Bacon Bits
-garlic
-Grated Parmesan Cheese
-Fat free half n half and/or fat free sour cream

1. Boil pasta until al dente
2. Microwave the spinach for 2 minutes on high
3. In a sauce pan, saute some minced garlic in olive oil. Then add the spinach and stir. When done, put the spinach in a separate dish and leave some of the garlic and spinach in the sauce pan.
4. Pour the spaghetti sauce into the sauce pan that has the garlic spinach. Then add fat free milk or half n half to make the pink sauce.
NOTE: Slowly stir the ingredients as you add into the sauce.
5. Add grounded bacon bits (Prosciutto would be the best) and the Parmesan cheese into the sauce. Add some fat free sour cream if you wish if the sauce needs to be more pink and creamy. It's the fatty cream that makes the dish but we are trying to avoid fat. Not sure what is in the fat free stuff to keep it creamy.
6. In the meantime, after the water is poured out of the pasta, add the spinach and mix into the pasta.
7. In a dish, add the sauce to the pasta and enjoy.
Warning: don't add salt as the bacon and Parmesan can make it very salty

West Indian Fish Broth

2013-08-28T21:37:00.001-04:00

It's been a long time since I've put up any new recipes. I've been busier these days which calls for quicker meals and the challenge is to keep it healthy. So, I am going to ATTEMPT to post some simple yet healthy dishes and with the help of others, maybe we can share recipes.
Let's come together and make it easier on us wives, mothers and other full time employed, family meal suppliers. Just think, if it's quick and healthy, we don't have to feel guilty about taking any unhealthy short cuts!!!!

This is a simple soup/broth made in the West Indies aka "the Caribbean" which is delicious and it doesn't take long to make. Arm yourself with the ingredients below: We can add to it later.

Ingredients
-fish (I use fillets that I buy in a bundle from Costco)
-onion
-curry seasoning (or Sazon as I find most Americans haven't developed a palette for this spice)
-Thyme
-salt
-water

Misc.
-boiled pototoes
-spinach
-cooked plantain

For the dumplings:
-flour
-Salt
-water

Easiest Instructions:
Saute a sliced onion in the soup pot that you will be using. It's easier this way and it eliminates using an extra pot. Saute in olive oil but don't over cook as it will be boiling in water for approx. 10 minutes.
Add seasoned fish using curry (or Sazon), salt and thyme.
Then addd water to make a proper amount of soup as per your ingredients and servings needed.
Cook for 10 minutes.
Note: I tend NOT to use measurements. Just add what you think works well with the servings needed and the amount of food in the pot. Make sure to do a, "taste test and adjust" as you go. Remember NOT to double dip!!

For the dumplings, I used one cup of flour and added some water and salt. Then I kneaded it using my KitchenAide mixer until it becomes a ball of dough. Then pinch off some dough and roll it between your palms until it becomes a finger like shape.

Drop into the boiling broth with the fish and onions and cook for 10 minutes.

If you wish to jazz it up, consider adding spinach, plantain, chives, potatoes and more! If you add potatoes, you will have to pre-boil them. If you're considering another starch, keep it West Indian by adding or swapping the potatoes for dumplings. Add spinach. West Indians sometimes use Callaloo, the leaves of the Dasheen potato, which is similar to spinach. Add cooked plantain or chives. Remember our goal is to keep it healthy and tasty, Naturally, the more ingredients added that require prep work, the longer it will take.

Let's repeat the steps:
1. Saute onions in the soup pot with some olive oil
2. Season your fish with your choice of curry or Sazon. Then add thyme and salt.
3. Add fish to the pot with the onions and add enough water to make the soup. Important, taste to add more salt or seasoning.
4. For the dumplings, mix flour, salt and water into dough by any means of kneading. Pinch off pieces, roll into dumplings and drop into soup.
5. Boil for approximately 10 minutes. Make sure the potatoes are sufficiently boiled ahead of time.

Voila or should I say, "dis fish broth is damn good, mon". Eat any time of the year. It's a summery meal but makes for a darned good hot soup during the winter.

Pumpkin Molasses Sandwich Cookies

2012-12-04T11:18:00.005-05:00

By My Baking Addiction
YIELD: 24 sandwich cookies
PREP TIME: 20 minutes plus chill time COOK TIME: 7-9 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

For the Cookies

2 1/3 cups Gold Medal all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tablespoon homemade pumpkin pie spice
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup molasses
2/3 cup pure pumpkin puree
1 large egg
1/2 cup granulated sugar, for rolling

For the Filling

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

For the Cookies

1. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.

2. Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add the brown sugar, molasses, and pumpkin puree and beat for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the egg and beat for 1 minute more.

3. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing until the flour and spices disappear. If flour remains in the bottom of the bowl, mix the last of the dry ingredients by hand to avoid over beating. You will have a very soft dough.

4. Divide the dough in half and wrap each piece in plastic wrap. Freeze for at least 30 minutes, or refrigerate for at least 1 hour. The dough is sticky, so the longer time it can chill the easier it is to work with.

5. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

6. Put the sugar in a small bowl. Working with one packet of dough at a time, divide it into 24 pieces (or use a small cookie scoop), and roll each piece into a ball. Roll the balls in the sugar, then place dough balls on prepared cookie sheets and use a the bottom of a glass to ever-so-gently press down on the cookies. Do not over crowd.

7. Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 7-9 minutes, or until the top feels set to the touch. Remove baking sheets from the oven. Let cookies cool 5 minutes on the sheets before transferring them to a cooling rack.

8. Repeat with second batch of dough.

For the Filling

1. In a medium bowl with an electric mixer, combine cream cheese and confectioners' sugar. Mix on low speed until the sugar is incorporated, increase speed to medium-high and mix for about one minute. Add in vanilla and continue mixing on low speed until vanilla in fully incorporated.

2. To assemble the cookies, pipe or spread the filling on the bottom of one cookie. Top with another cookie and press together gently to create a sandwich cookie. Repeat with remaining cookies.

NOTES:

- Cookies will keep in an airtight within the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Pumpkin Pie Spice

2012-12-04T11:18:00.003-05:00

YIELD: about 5 tablespoons

INGREDIENTS:

3 tablespoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons nutmeg

1 ½ teaspoons ground allspice

1 ½ teaspoons ground cloves

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine spices in a small bow, mix well to combine. Store in a small jar or spice container.

Scones and/or Short Bread w/ Strawberries & Cream

2012-05-21T21:42:00.003-04:00

I just love scones. For some reason, I can’t eat things that are too sweet. I guess that’s a good thing for me regarding weight. Scones are buttery and hit the spot but I can’t seem to make them right. I have tried with varying degrees of success but perhaps I wasn’t putting enough emphasis on cold ingredients, how much or fast to mix and how long to bake. As a beginner cook, I am realizing just how important these techniques are along with these variables.

The best scones I’ve ever had was at an English Tea hosted by Old Westbury Gardens located in Old Westbury, NY. The scones were tinted brown so I must assume they used brown sugar and/or molasses. Sugar was sprinkled on top and they were so moist and flakey. I am going to attempt to make them once again and we’ll see how I do.

This 2012 Christmas Season, Old Westbury Gardens expanded their Cream Tea schedule from one night to a few during the week. Reservations are necessary. Included are tea, clotted cream and scones. "Cream Tea and Tour 11:00 am Call a group of friends and relatives and enjoy a cream tea, which features scones, clotted cream and jam, and tea. Then take a tour with one of our wonderful Volunteer Docents of the Magical Westbury House. Each room is designed and decorated by our very talented horticultural staff. Natural greenery is used extensively adding a wonderful aroma of the season. What a wonderful way to get everyone together at holiday time. End the tour shopping in our unique Gift Shop. Reservations only - please state date and time. $15.00 per person; groups of 10 or more and members $13.00. For registration please call (516) 333-0048 Ext. 301

I saw this recipe, courtesy of Ina Garten, which is really for short cakes but can be used for scones as well. Add whipped cream to a martini glass and fresh cut strawberries on top to serve with the short cakes and you have a new version of Strawberry Shortcake.

Ingredients

12 TBs (2 sticks of butter) Cold, diced

2 cups flour

2 TBS sugar

1 TB Baking Powder

1 Tsp Salt

½ cup heavy cream

3 eggs (2 for the mixture)

PREP:

Cut the cold butter the long way. Turn and cut the short ways until you have diced, squares of butter. Mix 2 eggs and the heavy cream together.

DRY INGREDIENTS:

Add flour, sugar, baking powder and salt to the sifter and sift right into the Kitchen Aid bowl. Add cold butter and mix slowly with mixer until the butter is pea sized. When the dough is perfect, add the wet ingredients slowly as it’s mixing. Don’t over mix!

TIP

Adding the diced cold butter, helps it stay in bits in the dough so that the steam from baking melts it, making the dough rise so it’s light and flakey.

Put some flour on a board and place roll the dough in the flour, into a ball so some of the flour gets into it. When the dough is sticky, the dough is good.

If you’re making scones, pinch off a good sized piece and add to a greased cookie sheet. For the Strawberry Shortcakes, cut the dough with a round, cookie cutter and placed on a greased cookie sheet. Add the egg wash (see below) and bake at 400 degrees F for 15-20 minutes. DO THIS ALL QUICKLY SO THE BUTTER DOESN’T HAVE TIME TO MELT.

TIP

Make an egg wash for the top of the short cakes and/or scones. It will brown them nicely. Also, add sugar on top to make then crunchy.

PREP: Egg wash

Add 1 egg with 2 TB of water and mix it up well. Take a pastry brush and do the tops of the short cakes or scones.

FOR STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKES:

Add whip cream to a martini or wine glass and add fresh cut strawberries on top. Serve with the short cakes as a new spin on Strawberry short cake.

SCONES:

Add some brown sugar in place of the regular sugar.

French String Bean Salad by Ina Garten

2012-05-21T20:41:00.001-04:00

Ingredients

1 ½ cups of French String Beans

2 TB good Dijon Mustard

2 TB White Wine Vinegar

½ tsp Salt

¼ tsp Fresh ground black pepper

2 TB Olive Oil

2 TB fresh, chopped Dill

Pour string beans into a pot of boiling water for around one minute or until they are tender but still a bit crisp, not soggy. Remove beans from water and place into a bowl of icy water.

TIP

Placing hot, boiled beans (or broccoli) in icy water stops them from cooking and it maintains the green color.

To make the dressing, add the Dijon Mustard to a glass bowl. Then add the white wine vinegar, salt and ground black pepper. Whisk together and then slowly add the olive oil while whisking which will make an emulsion.

Drizzle over the string beans and add fresh, chopped Dill on top.

TIP
A mixture of one liquid with another with which it cannot normally combine smoothly — oil and water being the classic example. Emulsifying is done by slowly (sometimes drop-by-drop) adding one ingredient to another while at the same time mixing rapidly. This disperses and suspends minute droplets of one liquid throughout the other. Emulsified mixtures are usually thick and satiny in texture. Mayonnaise (an uncooked combination of oil, egg yolks and vinegar or lemon juice) and HOLLANDAISE SAUCE (a cooked mixture of butter, egg yolks and vinegar or lemon juice) are two of the best-known emulsions.

Easy Oven Risotto

2012-05-21T20:00:00.005-04:00

I feel like a bear. No, that's not a misspelling. I didn’t mean beer although I've never tried cooking while drinking. THAT could be interesting. I meant like a bear because I’ve been in hibernation all winter and haven’t added much to my cooking blog. Well, I am BACK and ready to add more recipes including a TIPS section as am I learning more about the process of cooking as I go along.

Some of the recipes I was going to add as winter dishes was my mom’s split pea and dumpling soup, KooKoo which is like polenta with split pea, her home made bread and fish broth. All of these are West Indian inspired as my parents are from Grenada W. I.

For today, I am sticking with the basics and since I have left over Chicken breasts, I am going to make this easy recipe for Risotto. I just love this moist, pasta like rice but it’s a pain to make with all the stirring that goes into it. I can make it easily in my pressure cooker but I'm not always around a pressure cooker. I was inspired by this oven baked recipe from Barefoot Contessa. It’s easy and it works! The risotto is al dente as it should be without all the stirring and fussing. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 ½ cup Arborio Rice

4 cups of Chicken Stock –preferably home made

½ white wine (sugg. Pinot Grigio)

3 TB butter diced up

1 cup Parmesan cheese-the key to Risotto

Green peas, artichoke, broccoli bits or spinach

2 Tsp salt

1 Tsp pepper

Pour the rice and just 3 cups of chicken stock into a dutch oven pot and place in the oven for 45 minutes at 350 degrees F. When it is done, it’s should be al dente, add last cup of stock which is kept warm.

Next add the white wine, diced butter so it melts into the Risotto, Parmesan, salt and pepper and stir for 2-3 minutes.

Next you can add frozen peas or bits of cooked broccoli or spinach and stir.

Mexican inspired, Healthy Meatloaf

2012-04-09T19:56:00.003-04:00

Boring? Meatloaf? Nah. Not when you can jazz it up! And, make it healthy while you're at it. I use ground turkey instead of ground beef so there's less fat and cholesterol. But, it's never as good as ground beef and more mushy. So, I add more ingredients such as SALT, to make it taste more like the real thing. Then I add some pinto beans, chili powder and other ingredients, and I have to say, it tastes quite good. It's easy to make and well, not all that boring either!

Ingredients
-ground turkey 1/2 lb.
-1 egg
-half cup of milk (or more until you get the proper consistency)
-1 cup bread crumbs
-chopped onion
-minced garlic
-2 tsp salt or to taste
-1 tsp chili powder
-1 tsp ground mustard
-1 tsp Sage
-1 tsp Cilantro
-1/2 tsp black pepper

Mix all ingredients together. Place in loaf pan. I use the, Perfect Meatloaf pan so the fat drains out of the meatloaf and to the bottom of the pan. Put ketchup on top and some honey BBQ sauce.

Bake for 1 hour. Serve with corn bread for a real, Mexican-esqe pairing.

Enjoy

How to Chop an Onion

2012-02-06T18:51:00.001-05:00

How to Chop an Onion-YouTube Video by Gordon Ramsay

Chicken a la King

2012-02-01T19:08:00.003-05:00

This is one of those meals that is semi-simple but real yummy. Once you have it down, it’s so easy to make for the most part and it makes a great, hearty meal for the family. A mean that you can prepare when you come home from work or have limited time.

If you are new to cooking and enjoy it, as I do, you will notice that it’s the cooking process and combining of ingredients that turns cooking into an artful project. Almost reminds me of my chemistry set sans the lengthy, difficult equations. Just make sure not to blow anything up!

Serves 1 or 2 people. Double up on ingredients to make more.

Ingredients

2-3 Boneless/Skinless Chicken breasts
1 cup of Rice
Olive Oil
(1) Green bell pepper
Mushrooms
1 onion
3 cloves Garlic minced
Salt
Black Pepper
Milk or light cream
2 or 3 tablespoons of Flour

Directions

Hours ahead of time, prior to work or going out, take out 2 or 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts to dethaw.

When ready to cook, pour one cup of rice along with one cup of water in a pot along with some salt and butter to cook, as per rice directions.

Wash chicken and using a pair of shears, cut the chicken into pieces. Heat up skillet and add some olive oil to coat the pan. Then add chicken.

Chop up the onion, small green bell pepper or half large pepper and add to skillet. Place lid on skillet and let cook for 5 minutes. Stir and turn chicken over to cook and let cook another 5-10 minutes. The chicken won’t be pink and will start to look white and cooked-for those of you who don’t know.

Then stir in mushrooms and minced garlic along with salt and black pepper to taste. Let cook for a few minutes and stir.

Add milk/light cream to the skillet and a tablespoon or two of flour to thicken milk into a cream sauce. Turn up the heat and let the sauce bubble a bit and then remove from stove.

Now you are ready for this delicious mushroom/green pepper inspired cream sauce poured over the plain white rice.

Mistro Musings "N" Travels

2012-01-20T16:00:00.003-05:00

Dear gf's,

Today I went through my Christmas cards to take stock of “who sends” and “doesn't send” so I can cross off my list! :) I gave my husband Tom, the task of reading the names off the Christmas cards. Truly NOT a masculine job to give a guy so there was the making of SOMETHING comical right from the start.

Cooking 101

2012-01-18T02:05:00.003-05:00

For many, the art of cooking starts with necessity, a little knowledge, some basic instincts and finally, a place to stock your ingredients and cook ware.......and then you're OFF! From there it's up to you and if your passion takes you further. That's why my blog starts with the engaged couple who will likely register items for a bridal shower, move in as a married couple into either a humble abode such as mine or a upscale house in the surburbs. That point is mute. It's the, "fear of the unknown" and not knowing WHICH items are the most useful and cost effective items to register/purchase, what to stock during your first trip to the super market that can be overwhelming. Once that part is conquered, you'll need some Cooking 101 tips to get you on your way.
Read more.....

Healthy Chili with cheese cornbread

2012-01-17T18:52:00.016-05:00

This is my second time making chili in the slow cooker. The first time was experimental. Found that I wanted more of a Tex Mex flavor so this time I've substituted the pink beans for the black beans. Then add some sour cream on top when it's done for a less healthy but very satisfying treat. However, as I sit here drinking my Welchol, (forces me to drink water while lowering my cholesterol), my conscious is guilting me into opting for a more healthy chili by substituting the ground beef for ground turkey. I have been making meatloaf with ground turkey this entire past year so not much of switch for me. Curious how it will turn out. See below on, Final Mistro Notes.

In an effort to keep meal preparation tasty, somewhat healthy yet QUICK, I used Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix, adding some salt, black pepper and American Cheese slices to the batter upon baking. Simple enough recipe and it goes well with chili especially since I've added the salt/cheese combo to offset the sweetness. OR, make your own healthier corn bread without as much sugar. This would fall under the, "more healthy" category but NOT necessarily the more, "quick"!

What I like about the slow cooker is that most everything tastes better especially the tenderizing effect it has on meat. Slow cooking also simmers the spices in the liquids of the food. This is really helpful because the foods also baste themselves in their own juice, intensifying the flavors even more!

Ingredients
1 lb ground turkey (good amount for two people and using a 3 QT slow cooker)
1 can pureed tomatoes
1 can black beans (or substitute with your favorite bean)
Half green and red bell pepper chopped
1 whole onion chopped
4 cloves of garlic
3 tsp Oregano
1 tsp Cumin
2 tsp salt
2 1/2 to 3 tsp Chili powder (depending on how spicy you want it)
Chicken Broth
Corn Starch

Combine cans of tomato and black beans in stockpot. Sautee onions partially and remove before they get too limp. Add to the tomato/black bean mixture along with the bell peppers, minced garlic, Oregano and salt. In a separate small bowl, mix corn starch with cumin and chili powder. Add some chicken broth until it's smooth to pasty. Add corn starch mix to existing tomato, bean, vegetable mixture in the stock pot.

Sautee ground turkey in skillet until no longer pink. Strain to get rid of excess oil. Add to stock pot and mix ALL ingredients together thoroughly. Add some chicken broth but not too much or it will be watery. This is why I've added corn starch to thicken.

Put on high for first hour and on low for the next few hours.
Serve with cheese corn bread, Tacos, plain white rice or eat alone in a bowl topped with shredded cheese and or sour cream. Up to you! Enjoy!

Final Mistro Notes
The modifications I made today on the original chili two days ago, came out quite good for this recipe. I don't mind the change from ground beef to ground turkey. However, the black beans overwhelmed the other spices and notes in the stew but with a little sour cream on top, it can be enjoyed as a Tex Mex like dish. I may go back to the pink beans.

The corn starch turned out to be a good addition since the veggies tend to make water and I didn't want soupy chili. Otherwise, all ingredients seems healthy. Any OTHER additions, subtractions, notations from my Cook Mistro audience? Click below on comments and tell me what's on your mind?

Brenda's Pumpkin Nut Bread

2012-01-10T13:56:00.003-05:00

Figured I'd re-post this delicious Autumn recipe as it's quite a tasty treat during the winter as well. Every year around Thanksgiving, my cousin Brenda bakes these Pumpkin Bread loaves which are simply delicious. Goes well with coffee in the morning, a mid day snack or for dessert later in the evening when you're feeling a bit, "peckish".

This is one of my favorites. It's not too sweet and a it makes a great item to bring to dinner as a guest. Enjoy!

Ingredients
3 cups sugar
1 cup salad oil
4 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp nutmeg (I usually put a tad more)
1 tsp cinnamon ( I usually put 2)
2/3 cup water
2 cups (1 can-15 oz) Libby's 100% pumpkin
4 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda (I usually use baking powder) 1 cup chopped walnuts (I usually put a bit more)

Directions
Grease pans well. Cream sugar and salad oil. Add rest of inredients and mix well.
Fold in nuts. Bake at 350 for about 1 hour (insert knife to check if done)

Cornbread and Apple Stuffing

2012-01-08T16:54:00.005-05:00

Sooooooooo, not sure what's up with me today but seems I'm in the MOOD to BLOG! Plus, I got to thinking about my cousin Sue's STUFFING made with CORNBREAD and APPLES and I thought, "that might go really well with the sweet n sour curry chicken that's simmering in my slow cooker!" Now this is JUST my gut instinct. I have not been cooking for years nor did I take any classes. I'm a newbie with an interest in cooking likely cuz it's creative and I have some good instincts. So, thinkin' that the apple in the stuffing will go nicely with the tang and sweetness of the mango chutney in the chicken. Hmmm. Let's give it a try.

First, I have to make the cornbread. I used Jiffy's Corn Muffin mix except I put it in a shallow baking pan one would use for brownies. That takes roughly 20 minutes to bake. Once that is done, I follow the remainder of the recipe. Hubbie is going to be ONE HAPPY MAN tonight!

Ingredients
Cornbread
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 small onion
2 red apples diced-Cortland or Granny Smith
2 cloves minced garlic
1 Tablespoon fresh sage
1 Tablespoon fresh thyme
1 cup chicken broth
Ground pepper to taste
Apple cider or apple juice

Directions
When cornbread is cooled, crumble into rough chunks. Spread the chunks and crumbs out on a large baking sheet. Toast in the oven at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes, until crisp but not browned. Let cool.

In the meantime, heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes. Then add diced apples, garlic, sage and thyme, stirring for 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup broth and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, roughly 5-6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large bowl.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 3 quart baking dish with cooking spray. Add the toasted cornbread mixture to the apple mixture and toss to mix. Drizzle cider (or juice) and the remaining
1/2 cup broth over the mixture and toss until evenly moistened. Transfer the stuffing to the prepared baking dish and cover with foil. Bake until heated through, 35-40 minutes.

For a crisp top, remove the foil for the last 15 minutes.

Sweet n Sour Curry Chicken Slow Cooked

2012-01-08T14:45:00.010-05:00

What's a girl to do when she has a cold and her Giant's lovin' husband is at work on a Sunday? Well, I'm sure he's not TOTALLY missing out and is on top of the score. I'm on top of the couch but getting bored. Apparently, I'm not THAT sick or I wouldn't be feeling so restless. I'm in a, "neither here", "nor there" mood so I'm going to cook something QUICK and TASTY that goes with the WINTER/SUPERBOWL sentiment. Remember, QUICK is the key word here although ironically, I plan on making this in a SLOW cooker.

This is a reminder to myself to keep on top of my "Stock the Pantry" page and make sure I have the essentials listed. I am finding that once I have a certain amount of ingredients stocked, I am ready to go for almost ANY recipe. Today, I'm feeling lazy so I'm going to take my, "throw everything into the slow cooker but the kitchen sink" approach, and let it cook it's way into deliciousness without much input from me!

Something I always stock is Kirkland's (Costco brand) skinless and boneless chicken breasts in a bag so I'm always up for any chicken dish. I don't know what it is about the Kirkland brand but the chicken breasts are always so thick and juicy. Right now, I am thawing a few pieces. From what I see, all I have to do is cut the chicken into 1 inch pieces and throw it into the slow cooker with some sliced onions, peppers, canned stewed tomatoes and other minor ingredients you just shake in, like curry powder and mango chutney. Turn the dial to HIGH and let it cook for a few hours. Then, back to the couch I go. Hubbie comes home and batta bing, I am the BEST lovin' wife around! (Can you TELL I am from the New York area? Not Italian but Long Island has left it's mark on me! Take it for what it's worth!) BTW, you'll love how crunchy the slow cooker leaves the peppers and onions. Enjoy! Go Giants!

Ingredients:
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 can (14 1/2 ounces stewed tomatoes, cut up
1 large green pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 large onion, sliced
1/2 cup mango chutney
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1/4 cup water

Directions
In a 3 qt. slow cooker, combine the chicken, tomatoes, green pepper, onion and chutney. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch, curry powder and water until smooth; stir into the chicken mixture.

Cover and cook on low for 2-4 hours or until chicken is not longer pink and vegetables are tender.

Candied Sweet Potatoes

2011-12-22T18:02:00.001-05:00

Ingredients

6 medium sweet potatoes (peeled and sliced or Cook whole and when potatoes are cool enough to handle, slip off skins; cut potatoes into ½ inch slices.

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp grated orange zest

3 Tbs. butter or stick margarine

½ tsp. salt

Directions Place sweet potatoes in 2-quart saucepan; add enough orange juice just to cover potatoes. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 20 to 25 minutes or until tender; drain. Remove potatoes, if sliced with a slotted spoon or when potatoes are cool enough to handle, slip off skins; cut potatoes into ½ inch slices.

Heat remaining ingredients in 10 inch skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, until smooth and bubbly. Reduce by half. Add potatoes. Test potatoes with a fork. If hard, cover and cook longer. Gently stir until glazed and hot.

For a Pressure Cooker:

Pour orange juice into the pressure cooker. Arrange sweet potatoes in the pot. Sprinkle with salt, borwn sugar and orange zest. Dot with butter. Cover and lock lid in place. Select High Pressure and set timer for 8 minutes. Test potatoes with a fork. If hard, cover and cook under high pressure 1 to 2 minutes longer.

Remove the sweet potatoes to a serving bowl with a slotted spoon. Set aside. Select Browning and bring cooking liquid to a boil. Reduce by half. Spoon over the cooked sweet potatoes and serve.

Grandma’s Green Bean Recipe

2011-12-22T17:27:00.003-05:00

I found a recipe for green beans and modified it a bit and it wound up tasting really good. This is the time of year when people are looking for those standard, Christmas dinner sides like green beans and sweet potatoes. This may not be the quickest, easiest recipe but it's worth a bit of effort, really not THAT bad, because it tastes so good and will be worth it when your guests are enjoying it and complimenting you! Isn't that part of being a good cook? :)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white sugar
1/4 cup onion, diced
1 cup sour cream
3 (14.5 ounce) cans French style green beans, drained
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup crumbled buttery round crackers 1 tablespoon butter, melted
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth, and cook for one minute. Stir in the salt, sugar, onion, and sour cream. Add green beans, and stir to coat.
Transfer the mixture to a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish. Spread shredded cheese over the top. In a small bowl, toss together cracker crumbs and remaining butter, and sprinkle over the cheese.
Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the top is golden and cheese is bubbly.

Amish Inspired Apple Dumplings

2011-12-18T21:15:00.013-05:00

Tom and I just returned from our Pennsylvania trip which included a stay at the Bird-in-Hand Family Inn. I never thought about a trip to the Amish Country during Christmas. The Amish are very modest therefore their celebration quite simple and no frills but there's something, OLD WORLD, about being there during this time of year. Think about it, Christmas traditions are very German and since we were surrounded by the Pennsylvania Dutch, words like Shnitzel and Gingerbread while spotting an Amish buggy, clippity, cloppiting down the road as if to catch a glimpse of an elf, was like being in a Christmas wonderland. What a wonderful travel choice for the season. And, nothing like good ole fashioned, home made apple dumplings to set the mood.

These are the world's best apple dumplings. The first time I had them, I lost 10 minutes of my life in some heavenly place where angels were singing high pitched in ectasy. No joke! Apple dumplings are THAT good. Perhaps the most important thing about this great apple dumpling recipe is to get the dough right. After that the rest of the recipe is a piece of cake... make that an easy apple dumpling. This recipe makes six of the best apple dumplings you've ever tasted.

There's four things you have to do to prepare this easy apple dumpling recipe:

Prepare the sauce
Prepare the actual apple dumplings
Pour the sauce over the dumplings
Bake

Preparing the Apple Dumpling Sauce

1 Cup Sugar

1 Cup Water

1/8 (one eighth) Teaspoon Cinnamon

1/8 (one eighth) Teaspoon Nutmeg

2 Tablespoons Butter or Margarine

Place the sugar, water, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small saucepan. Bring to boiling point. Add butter or margarine and stir until melted. Remove from heat and set aside.

Preparing the Apple Dumpling Pastry and Apple Filling

2 Cups Enriched Flour  

2 Teaspoons Baking Powder

1 Teaspoon Salt
2/3 (two thirds) Cups Shortening – Recommend using Crisco  

1/2 (one half) Cup Milk  

6 Macintosh Apples (about 3 inch diameter)
When it comes to apple dumplings, bigger is not always better. Use Macintosh apples that are about 3 inches in diameter. You'll see later that it makes it easier for you to make the dumpling.

1 Cup Sugar

Preheat the oven to 375°

Lightly grease a 9" x 13" x 1½" baking dish.

Place flour, baking powder and salt in medium size bowl and mix it together with a fork. Add the shortening to the bowl and cut in shortening. Not familiar with the term, cut in shortening? You're simply passing the fork through the mixture. Add milk to bowl all at once and use a fork to just moisten the mixture.

Place the apple dumpling dough mixture on a lightly floured pastry board. Roll the pastry out until it is large enough cut six 6-inch squares (one for each apple).

It's finally time to peel the apples! Peel them and cut them in half. Then cut out the core. Cutting them in half helps insure the apple bakes thoroughly.

TIP: To keep the apples from turning brown, place them in a bowl of ice water. Then put ice cubes in the water to keep it as cold as possible.

Prepare for Baking

Place the apple on one of the 6-inch dough squares holding the two halves together. Pour some sugar into the apple and then generously sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg. I just about fill the center of the apple with the sugar. Place a pat of butter on the top.

Take a little water and moisten the edges of the 6-inch dough square. Fold the corners to the center of the top of the apple. Do you see now why you want smaller apples? If you start to run a little low on dough doing the final apples you can always roll it out a bit more. Pinch the dough together at the seams.

Pour the Sauce over the Dumplings

Try to place the apple dumplings in the baking dish about an inch apart if possible. Pour the sauce we made earlier over the apple dumplings and then sprinkle them with sugar.Place the baking dish in the oven preheated to 375° and bake for 35 minutes.

Apple Dumplings Serving Suggestions...

Serve your apple dumplings while they're still warm with a scoop of ice cream on the top. Or simply pour a little milk on them in a bowl. In the rare event that there are any apple dumplings left over the next day, heat them up in the microwave.

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