2 cups sugar 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa
2 tsp. Baking powder
½ tsp. Salt
1 cup butter, melted
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 Tbsp. Vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans
3 cups miniature marshmallows
Chocolate frosting
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add butter, eggs, and vanilla, stirring until smooth. Stir in pecans. Pour batter into a greased and floured 13 x 9 inch pan. Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Immediately sprinkle marshmallows over top; return to oven and bake 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from oven. Carefully spread the chocolate frosting over marshmallows. Cool completely and cut into squares.
Note: For a hint of mocha, stir 1 Tbsp. Instant coffee powder into brownie batter along with dry ingredients.
From Jeanette
Monday, December 5, 2011
Sweet Potato, Pecan and Parmesan
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for the baking dish
2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1⁄4-inch-thick rounds
1/2 cup grated Parmesan (2 ounces)
kosher salt and black pepper
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
pinch of cayenne pepper
Directions
1.Heat oven to 375° F. Oil a shallow 2 ½- to 3-quart baking dish.
2.In a large bowl, toss the sweet potatoes with the Parmesan, 2 tablespoons of the oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper; transfer to the prepared baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake until tender, 45 to 50 minutes.
3.Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the pecans, sugar, thyme, cayenne, the remaining tablespoon of oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper.
4.Remove the foil from the baking dish, sprinkle the pecan mixture over the potatoes, and continue to bake, uncovered, until the pecans are toasted, 10 to 12 minutes.
By Kate Merker and Sara Quessenberry, November 2010
From Susan
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for the baking dish
2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1⁄4-inch-thick rounds
1/2 cup grated Parmesan (2 ounces)
kosher salt and black pepper
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
pinch of cayenne pepper
Directions
1.Heat oven to 375° F. Oil a shallow 2 ½- to 3-quart baking dish.
2.In a large bowl, toss the sweet potatoes with the Parmesan, 2 tablespoons of the oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper; transfer to the prepared baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake until tender, 45 to 50 minutes.
3.Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the pecans, sugar, thyme, cayenne, the remaining tablespoon of oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper.
4.Remove the foil from the baking dish, sprinkle the pecan mixture over the potatoes, and continue to bake, uncovered, until the pecans are toasted, 10 to 12 minutes.
By Kate Merker and Sara Quessenberry, November 2010
From Susan
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Pear and Gorgonzola Crostini
From BBC Good Food Christmas 2001
2 small firm pears, unpeeled (need to be firm so they don't fall apart)
2 tbsp clear honey
150 ml / 1/4 pint port
150 ml / 1/4 pint red wine
1 french baguette (30cm/12 in long)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
200g /8 oz gorgonzola, at room temperature
mustard and cress, to garnish. (I didn't use mustard as I didn't have any!)
1. Halve and core the pears, then cut each one into 12 small wedges. Place in a heavy-based saucepan with the honey, port and wine. Cook for 5-10 minutes or until the pears are just tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife (they shouldn't be soft)
2. Carefully tip the pears into a sieve set over a small saucepan and allow them to drain thoroughly.
3. Reduce the liquid in the saucepan by two-thirds - it should have a syrupy consistency like runny honey. This will take 10-12 minutes. Pour the syrup into a small bowl and allow to cool while you prepare the bruschettas.
4. Preheat the grill to hot. Cut the bread into 24 slices and brush both sides of each slice with olive oil. Grill until the bruschettas are golden on both sides. This only takes a minute, so keep watch (really! Most people who try this burn them the first try, so be very careful!!)
5. Spread each bruschetta with a little gorgonzola and top with a poached pear wedge. Arrange the bruschettas on a serving plate and drizzle with the port syrup using a teaspoon. Sprinkle over a little mustard and cress and serve.
Prepare ahead: You can poach the pears the day before and serve them cold. Take them out of the syrup and reduce, then store the pears and syrup in separate plastic containers in the fridge. If the syrup is to thin the next day add a little warm water and if too thin, reduce by simmering a minute or two.
From: Susan
2 small firm pears, unpeeled (need to be firm so they don't fall apart)
2 tbsp clear honey
150 ml / 1/4 pint port
150 ml / 1/4 pint red wine
1 french baguette (30cm/12 in long)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
200g /8 oz gorgonzola, at room temperature
mustard and cress, to garnish. (I didn't use mustard as I didn't have any!)
1. Halve and core the pears, then cut each one into 12 small wedges. Place in a heavy-based saucepan with the honey, port and wine. Cook for 5-10 minutes or until the pears are just tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife (they shouldn't be soft)
2. Carefully tip the pears into a sieve set over a small saucepan and allow them to drain thoroughly.
3. Reduce the liquid in the saucepan by two-thirds - it should have a syrupy consistency like runny honey. This will take 10-12 minutes. Pour the syrup into a small bowl and allow to cool while you prepare the bruschettas.
4. Preheat the grill to hot. Cut the bread into 24 slices and brush both sides of each slice with olive oil. Grill until the bruschettas are golden on both sides. This only takes a minute, so keep watch (really! Most people who try this burn them the first try, so be very careful!!)
5. Spread each bruschetta with a little gorgonzola and top with a poached pear wedge. Arrange the bruschettas on a serving plate and drizzle with the port syrup using a teaspoon. Sprinkle over a little mustard and cress and serve.
Prepare ahead: You can poach the pears the day before and serve them cold. Take them out of the syrup and reduce, then store the pears and syrup in separate plastic containers in the fridge. If the syrup is to thin the next day add a little warm water and if too thin, reduce by simmering a minute or two.
From: Susan
Friday, December 2, 2011
Pumpkin Cheescake
Crust:
1 9-inch ginger snap (can use speculaas) pie crust
-in small saucepan melt 1/3 cup butter over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in 1-1/2 cups gingersnap/speculaas cookie crumbs and press firmly in 9 inch springform.
Filling:
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese at room temp
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cooked pumpkin puree or canned pumpkin
1/2 teaspoon groun cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
Heat oven to 350 F
In large bowl beat cream cheese, sugar, pumpkin and spices until combined. Beat in eggs and vanilla until well mixed and pour into crust.
Bake 40-45 min or until center is almost set. Cool on wire rack at room temp. Cover and refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.
From:Lorraine
1 9-inch ginger snap (can use speculaas) pie crust
-in small saucepan melt 1/3 cup butter over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in 1-1/2 cups gingersnap/speculaas cookie crumbs and press firmly in 9 inch springform.
Filling:
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese at room temp
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cooked pumpkin puree or canned pumpkin
1/2 teaspoon groun cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
Heat oven to 350 F
In large bowl beat cream cheese, sugar, pumpkin and spices until combined. Beat in eggs and vanilla until well mixed and pour into crust.
Bake 40-45 min or until center is almost set. Cool on wire rack at room temp. Cover and refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.
From:Lorraine
No-fuss Fruit Tart
Original Recipe by Nigella Lawson - BBC
Ingredients:
375g digestive biscuits
75g softened unsalted butter
400g cream cheese, at room temperature
240g ready-made lemon curd, at room temperature
125g fresh blueberries
125g fresh blackberries
125g fresh raspberries
125g fresh redcurrants or pomegranate seeds
125g fresh small strawberries, half hulled, half stalks intact
Preparation method:
Process the biscuits and the butter to a sandy rubble in a food processor, then press the mixture into the sides and bottom of the tart tin. Place in the freezer (or fridge if that is not possible) for about 10–15 minutes.
Clean the bowl of the food processor, then process the cream cheese and lemon curd and spread it into the bottom of the chilled tart tin, covering the base of the tart evenly. (Alternatively, just mix the cream cheese and lemon curd together by hand.)
Arrange all of the fruit gently (so that it doesn’t sink into the filling too much) on top of the lemony cream cheese in a decorative manner.
Place the tart in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight. It does need to get properly cold in order to set enough for the tart to be unsprung and sliced easily.
From: Patricia
Ingredients:
375g digestive biscuits
75g softened unsalted butter
400g cream cheese, at room temperature
240g ready-made lemon curd, at room temperature
125g fresh blueberries
125g fresh blackberries
125g fresh raspberries
125g fresh redcurrants or pomegranate seeds
125g fresh small strawberries, half hulled, half stalks intact
Preparation method:
Process the biscuits and the butter to a sandy rubble in a food processor, then press the mixture into the sides and bottom of the tart tin. Place in the freezer (or fridge if that is not possible) for about 10–15 minutes.
Clean the bowl of the food processor, then process the cream cheese and lemon curd and spread it into the bottom of the chilled tart tin, covering the base of the tart evenly. (Alternatively, just mix the cream cheese and lemon curd together by hand.)
Arrange all of the fruit gently (so that it doesn’t sink into the filling too much) on top of the lemony cream cheese in a decorative manner.
Place the tart in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight. It does need to get properly cold in order to set enough for the tart to be unsprung and sliced easily.
From: Patricia
Pumpkin Pie
Original Recipe Yield 1 - 9 inch deep dish pie
Ingredients
1 (9 inch) unbaked deep dish pie crust
3/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 eggs
1 (15 ounce) can LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 (12 fluid ounce) can NESTLE® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk (I use whole milk instead of Evaporated Milk.)
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Combine sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs lightly in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Pour into pie shell.
Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F.; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. (Do not freeze as this will cause the crust to separate from the filling.)
From: Mary Beth
Ingredients
1 (9 inch) unbaked deep dish pie crust
3/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 eggs
1 (15 ounce) can LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 (12 fluid ounce) can NESTLE® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk (I use whole milk instead of Evaporated Milk.)
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Combine sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs lightly in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Pour into pie shell.
Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F.; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. (Do not freeze as this will cause the crust to separate from the filling.)
From: Mary Beth
Grasshopper Pie
From Nigella Kitchen by Nigella Lawson. Copyright (c) 2010 Nigella Lawson. Published by Hyperion. All Rights Reserved.
Prep Time:15 min
Inactive Prep Time:4 hr 0 min
Cook Time:10 min
Level:Easy
Serves:8 to 10 servings
Ingredients
Base:
·28 chocolate biscuits or chocolate creme filled sandwich cookies
·2 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped (or 1/4 cup chips)
·3 tablespoons soft unsalted butter
Filling:
·3 cups mini marshmallows
·1/2 cup whole milk
·1/4 cup creme de menthe
·1/4 cup creme de cacao blanc
·1 1/2 cups heavy cream
·Few spots or drops green food coloring, optional
·1 loose-bottomed 10-inch fluted tart pan, 2 inches deep
Directions
Set aside 1 cookie for later use. Process the remaining cookies and chocolate in a food processor until they form a crumb mixture. Add the butter and process until the mixture starts to clump together.
Press the mixture into a high-sided fluted tart pan, making a smooth base and sides with your hands or the back of a spoon. Put it into the refrigerator to chill and harden.
Melt the marshmallows in a saucepan over low gentle heat along with the milk. Once the milk starts to foam(not boil), take off the heat and keep stirring until the marshmallows blend into the milk to make a smooth mixture.
Pour the mixture out of the saucepan into a heatproof bowl, then whisk in the creme de menthe and creme decacao. Leave until cool.
In a medium bowl, whisk the cream until it starts to hold soft peaks then, still whisking, add the cooled marshmallow mixture. This filling should be thick but still soft, not stiff or dry, so that it will eventually drop easily out of the bowl into the chilled pie crust.
When the marshmallow mixture and cream are combined, whisk in a few drops of food coloring, if desired.
Spread the filling into the chilled base, swirling it about with an icing spatula or silicone spatula to fill evenly. Put the pie in the refrigerator, covered, to chill overnight or for a minimum of 4 hours until firm.
Crush the remaining cookie and sprinkle it over the top of the pie before serving.
Make Ahead Note:
The pie can be made 1 to 2 days ahead. When chilled and firm, tent with aluminum foil (try not to touch surface with foil as it will leave marks) and store in the refrigerator. Decorate just before serving. The pie will keep 3 to 4 days total.
Freeze Note:
The pie can be frozen for up to 3 months. Open-freeze undecorated pie just until solid, then wrap the pie (still in its tart pan) in a double layer of plastic wrap and a layer of foil. To thaw, unwrap the pie and tent with foil (try not to touch surface with foil as it will leave marks), then thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Decorate before serving.
From: Meg
Prep Time:15 min
Inactive Prep Time:4 hr 0 min
Cook Time:10 min
Level:Easy
Serves:8 to 10 servings
Ingredients
Base:
·28 chocolate biscuits or chocolate creme filled sandwich cookies
·2 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped (or 1/4 cup chips)
·3 tablespoons soft unsalted butter
Filling:
·3 cups mini marshmallows
·1/2 cup whole milk
·1/4 cup creme de menthe
·1/4 cup creme de cacao blanc
·1 1/2 cups heavy cream
·Few spots or drops green food coloring, optional
·1 loose-bottomed 10-inch fluted tart pan, 2 inches deep
Directions
Set aside 1 cookie for later use. Process the remaining cookies and chocolate in a food processor until they form a crumb mixture. Add the butter and process until the mixture starts to clump together.
Press the mixture into a high-sided fluted tart pan, making a smooth base and sides with your hands or the back of a spoon. Put it into the refrigerator to chill and harden.
Melt the marshmallows in a saucepan over low gentle heat along with the milk. Once the milk starts to foam(not boil), take off the heat and keep stirring until the marshmallows blend into the milk to make a smooth mixture.
Pour the mixture out of the saucepan into a heatproof bowl, then whisk in the creme de menthe and creme decacao. Leave until cool.
In a medium bowl, whisk the cream until it starts to hold soft peaks then, still whisking, add the cooled marshmallow mixture. This filling should be thick but still soft, not stiff or dry, so that it will eventually drop easily out of the bowl into the chilled pie crust.
When the marshmallow mixture and cream are combined, whisk in a few drops of food coloring, if desired.
Spread the filling into the chilled base, swirling it about with an icing spatula or silicone spatula to fill evenly. Put the pie in the refrigerator, covered, to chill overnight or for a minimum of 4 hours until firm.
Crush the remaining cookie and sprinkle it over the top of the pie before serving.
Make Ahead Note:
The pie can be made 1 to 2 days ahead. When chilled and firm, tent with aluminum foil (try not to touch surface with foil as it will leave marks) and store in the refrigerator. Decorate just before serving. The pie will keep 3 to 4 days total.
Freeze Note:
The pie can be frozen for up to 3 months. Open-freeze undecorated pie just until solid, then wrap the pie (still in its tart pan) in a double layer of plastic wrap and a layer of foil. To thaw, unwrap the pie and tent with foil (try not to touch surface with foil as it will leave marks), then thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Decorate before serving.
From: Meg
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)