Bryant and I had been dating for just a few months when Thanksgiving rolled around. He was scheduled to work that holiday and couldn't go home to Rexburg and wouldn't get off work in time to join my family for dinner. I was housesitting and decided to attempt to impress him by cooking an entire Thanksgiving dinner for the two of us. I asked him what his favorite dishes were from his version of Thanksgiving and he listed off apple pie (not a problem) and creamed corn. I had never heard of creamed corn. So I googled it and read recipe after recipe, finally settling on one from the Savvannah Chop House. Thanksgiving rolled around, the dinner was amazing, and when he tasted the creamed corn he was crazy impressed. And then he asked me what brand made it. I looked confused. Brand? It comes in a can?!? I had no idea, and have been making creamed corn at his request from scratch ever since.
2 10 oz pkgs frozen corn
1 c whipping cream
1 c milk
1 t salt
6 T sugar
2 T melted butter
2 T flour
Combine first 5 ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer 5 minutes. Meanwhile, blend butter and flour in a seperate bowl and add to corn mixture and mix well until thickened.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Cheater Chocolate Mousse
This has been a busy cake month. At the beginning I made my sister's wedding cake which consisted of 3 tiers (which each had 4 layers) of devils food cake, brushed with salted caramel and filled with chocolate mousse (the real stuff) and then frosted with the mascarpone frosting. It was good.
My neighbor turned 40 this weekend and his wife asked if I would make him a chocolate cake for his birthday. So I used my no-fail Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Cake recipe and did a cheater version of chocolate mousse that always gets rave reviews. It is really quite simple. Make the Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate frosting. Whip 2 cups of cream (add sugar to taste) and fold the cream into the frosting. Everyone loves it. It is crazy easy. And then the cake was frosted with the regular frosting.
And I made a cake for one of my YW who recently turned 14 and left my class. She requested a German Chocolate cake so I used the same chocolate cake recipe, same frosting, and made the pecan coconut filling from scratch for the first time. Also really good. Let me know if you want the recipe.
My neighbor turned 40 this weekend and his wife asked if I would make him a chocolate cake for his birthday. So I used my no-fail Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Cake recipe and did a cheater version of chocolate mousse that always gets rave reviews. It is really quite simple. Make the Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate frosting. Whip 2 cups of cream (add sugar to taste) and fold the cream into the frosting. Everyone loves it. It is crazy easy. And then the cake was frosted with the regular frosting.
And I made a cake for one of my YW who recently turned 14 and left my class. She requested a German Chocolate cake so I used the same chocolate cake recipe, same frosting, and made the pecan coconut filling from scratch for the first time. Also really good. Let me know if you want the recipe.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Pumpkin Pie Alternative
I made (and loved) this recipe last night. It is quick and easy and delicious. I made a few changes:
I put the crust in a 9 inch tart pan and baked it at 325 degrees for 8 minutes.
I used half of the amount of butter on accident. But it worked just fine. I also added a bit of salt to the crust. I think next time I'll try halving the sugar called for in the crust too.
I doubled the amount of flavor called for - the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and vanilla.
I didn't have enough whipping cream, so I used some cream and some leftover mascarpone cheese. It was awesome. Next time I'll experiement with more mascarpone cheese.
No brandy in the house (shocker) so we didn't have any brandy whipped cream. I just served it plain.
We've eaten this for dessert, breakfast and lunch. It is really good and a great way to use canned pumpkin.
I put the crust in a 9 inch tart pan and baked it at 325 degrees for 8 minutes.
I used half of the amount of butter on accident. But it worked just fine. I also added a bit of salt to the crust. I think next time I'll try halving the sugar called for in the crust too.
I doubled the amount of flavor called for - the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and vanilla.
I didn't have enough whipping cream, so I used some cream and some leftover mascarpone cheese. It was awesome. Next time I'll experiement with more mascarpone cheese.
No brandy in the house (shocker) so we didn't have any brandy whipped cream. I just served it plain.
We've eaten this for dessert, breakfast and lunch. It is really good and a great way to use canned pumpkin.
Chocolate Mousse
This recipe is from James Peterson's BAKING.
6 oz chocolate (he recommends bittersweet, I do half dark half milk)
1/4 c plus 2 T unsalted butter, cubed or sliced
4 egg yolks
3 T sugar
1 t vanilla extract
1 c heavy cream and possibly more if needed to unseize chocolate
Chop the chocolate and combine it with butter in a double boiler (heatproof bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water) and stir until melted and smooth. Take off heat, but keep water simmering.
Combine egg yolks and sugar in another heatproof bowl and set over saucepan of simmering water for 5 minutes, whisking constantly, until pale and slightly stiff. (It will thicken up.) Remove from heat.
Stir the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and add the vanilla and stir until well mixed. If it becomes grainy at this point (it should be smooth and shiny) slowly add 1/4 c warmed cream, a little at a time, until it becomes shiny and smooth. Let cool to room temperature.
Whip cream to soft peaks. Stir about 1/4 of whipped cream into the chocolate mixture to lighten. Then FOLD in the remaining whipped cream with a rubber spatula.
If you are using as a layer in a cake use it right away, otherwise chill for at least 1 hour. If you are serving the mousse alone pour into individual glasses immediately and cover with plastic wrap (remember to press it against the surface) to keep a crust from forming.
This recipe makes 3 cups. The first time I made it the chocolate mixture seized, the second time it didn't. This is one of our favorite desserts.
6 oz chocolate (he recommends bittersweet, I do half dark half milk)
1/4 c plus 2 T unsalted butter, cubed or sliced
4 egg yolks
3 T sugar
1 t vanilla extract
1 c heavy cream and possibly more if needed to unseize chocolate
Chop the chocolate and combine it with butter in a double boiler (heatproof bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water) and stir until melted and smooth. Take off heat, but keep water simmering.
Combine egg yolks and sugar in another heatproof bowl and set over saucepan of simmering water for 5 minutes, whisking constantly, until pale and slightly stiff. (It will thicken up.) Remove from heat.
Stir the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and add the vanilla and stir until well mixed. If it becomes grainy at this point (it should be smooth and shiny) slowly add 1/4 c warmed cream, a little at a time, until it becomes shiny and smooth. Let cool to room temperature.
Whip cream to soft peaks. Stir about 1/4 of whipped cream into the chocolate mixture to lighten. Then FOLD in the remaining whipped cream with a rubber spatula.
If you are using as a layer in a cake use it right away, otherwise chill for at least 1 hour. If you are serving the mousse alone pour into individual glasses immediately and cover with plastic wrap (remember to press it against the surface) to keep a crust from forming.
This recipe makes 3 cups. The first time I made it the chocolate mixture seized, the second time it didn't. This is one of our favorite desserts.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Barley Stew
This is quick and delicious. A true meal in a pot. All you need to add is dessert.
2 T olive oil
1 yellow onion
1 lb (give or take) of chicken, cut up into bite size pieces
2 to 3 c mushrooms, chopped
1 bunch Italian kale, stems removed and leaves cut up into bite size pieces
3 c water (or chicken stock)
***1/4 to 1/2 c barley
1/4 c cream
1 t thyme
salt and pepper to taste
Heat olive oil in a large pot and saute onions until tender, add chicken (and salt) and saute until almost cooked through, add mushrooms and kale and saute until kale wilts. Add barley, water and thyme. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer until barley and chicken are cooked. Stir in cream. Season to taste. Serve.
***I typed up this recipe and forgot to include the barley. And now I don't remember how much I used. Maybe to be safe just use 1/3 cup. Sorry!
2 T olive oil
1 yellow onion
1 lb (give or take) of chicken, cut up into bite size pieces
2 to 3 c mushrooms, chopped
1 bunch Italian kale, stems removed and leaves cut up into bite size pieces
3 c water (or chicken stock)
***1/4 to 1/2 c barley
1/4 c cream
1 t thyme
salt and pepper to taste
Heat olive oil in a large pot and saute onions until tender, add chicken (and salt) and saute until almost cooked through, add mushrooms and kale and saute until kale wilts. Add barley, water and thyme. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer until barley and chicken are cooked. Stir in cream. Season to taste. Serve.
***I typed up this recipe and forgot to include the barley. And now I don't remember how much I used. Maybe to be safe just use 1/3 cup. Sorry!
Peter & Heather's Wedding Cake
Recipes needed:
Roasted Pears (see below)
Caramel Sauce (scroll down to the bottom of post for recipe)
Caramel Mousse (see below)
Vanilla Butter Cake
Mascarpone Frosting (see below)
Roasted Pears
5 barely ripe pears
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c butter, sliced
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel pears and remove stem, core, and cut in half lengthwise. Place pear halves, flat side up, in a heavy bottomed saucepan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Sprinkle butter and sugar over them. Roast for 25 minutes to 1 hour, until butter sugar mixture is golden brown and pears are soft when you poke them with a knife. Remove pears, cool, and dice. (You can continue to caramelize the butter sugar mixture and toss a bit to coat the pears and use the rest for ice cream topping.) Fold the pears into the Vanilla Butter Cake batter just before pouring into the cake pans to bake.
Caramel Mousse
*This recipe was saved in my favorites before our luggage was lost/stolen and our laptop seemingly forever lost. I think I just folded the caramel sauce referenced above into stabilized whipped cream. This is then immediately poured in between the layers (you need to use a cake ring for this) and then refrigerated until set.
1 1/2 c caramel sauce
3 T water
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1 1/2 c chilled whipping cream
Pour 3 T water into a ramekin or small glass cup and sprinkle with gelatin. Let soften. Place ramekin in a small skillet of simmering water and stir until gelatin dissolves and mixture is clear. Mix into 1 1/2 c hot caramel. Cool just to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
Beat chilled whipping cream in a large howl to medium-firm peaks. Gradually pour cooled caramel/gelatin mixture over cream, folding constantly but gently. Use immediately.
Mascarpone Frosting
12 oz mascarpone cheese
1 1/2 c heavy whipping cream
3 T sugar (or more to taste)
1 T vanilla extract
Beat all ingredients in a large bowl until it holds soft peaks. You will probably want to add more sugar, so be sure to taste the mixture at the beginning so you can add more if desired. You can used granulated or powdered sugar. This is a lovely, lovely frosting.
Doughnuts for Halloween
I used a new (and simpler) recipe this year and they ended up being fantastic. I halved the recipe on Sunday morning and made them for breakfast as a practice run, and then I doubled the recipe for Halloween. I only made holes because they fry up so much faster.
This recipe is adapted from Donna Hay.
2 t active dry yeast
1 1/2 T warm water
1/2 c lukewarm milk
4 T sugar
50 g butter, melted (I used my scale, sorry, this is from a British magazine)
2 1/4 c all purpose flour
2 eggs
Place yeast, water, milk, and 1 tablespoon of sugar in a large bowl and set in a warm place for 10 minutes or until bubbles appear on the surface. Add butter, eggs, flour and remaining sugar and stir with a large spoon until a sticky dough forms. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Place in a large oiled bowl, cover with a cloth and set in a warm place for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.
Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic. Roll out to 1cm thick and cut out holes or donuts. (I used a glass baby bottle which made the perfect size). Place rounds on a lined baking tray and let rise for 30 minutes.
Heat oil in a large, deep saucepan over medium heat to 350 degrees. Cook in batches, turning frequently, until lightly golden. Drain on absorbent paper. Toss in sugar or glaze.
Maple Glaze (proportions are purely approximations)
1 to 1 1/2 c powdered sugar
1/4 c melted butter
1/4 to 1/3 c pure maple syrup
1/4 to 1/3 c heavy whipping cream
Combine and whisk until smooth.
Chocolate Glaze (proportions are purely approximations)
4 oz dark chocolate, chopped
1/4 c butter
1/4 to 1/2 c heavy whipping cream
1 c powdered sugar
1 t vanilla extract
Melt chocolate with butter and cream in a double boiler until smooth. Whisk with sugar and vanilla. Add more cream or sugar to get desired consistency.
This recipe is adapted from Donna Hay.
2 t active dry yeast
1 1/2 T warm water
1/2 c lukewarm milk
4 T sugar
50 g butter, melted (I used my scale, sorry, this is from a British magazine)
2 1/4 c all purpose flour
2 eggs
Place yeast, water, milk, and 1 tablespoon of sugar in a large bowl and set in a warm place for 10 minutes or until bubbles appear on the surface. Add butter, eggs, flour and remaining sugar and stir with a large spoon until a sticky dough forms. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Place in a large oiled bowl, cover with a cloth and set in a warm place for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.
Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic. Roll out to 1cm thick and cut out holes or donuts. (I used a glass baby bottle which made the perfect size). Place rounds on a lined baking tray and let rise for 30 minutes.
Heat oil in a large, deep saucepan over medium heat to 350 degrees. Cook in batches, turning frequently, until lightly golden. Drain on absorbent paper. Toss in sugar or glaze.
Maple Glaze (proportions are purely approximations)
1 to 1 1/2 c powdered sugar
1/4 c melted butter
1/4 to 1/3 c pure maple syrup
1/4 to 1/3 c heavy whipping cream
Combine and whisk until smooth.
Chocolate Glaze (proportions are purely approximations)
4 oz dark chocolate, chopped
1/4 c butter
1/4 to 1/2 c heavy whipping cream
1 c powdered sugar
1 t vanilla extract
Melt chocolate with butter and cream in a double boiler until smooth. Whisk with sugar and vanilla. Add more cream or sugar to get desired consistency.
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