Eggnog Pie

Eggnog Pie

This pie recipe comes from the Sandusky History Blog. (Ohio) This recipe is very similar to one which an aunt would bring to family gatherings. I will confess, it was always worth the calories!

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Ingredients:

Soften:

1 teaspoon Knox gelatin in

1 Tablespoon cold water

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Mix together:

1/2 cup sugar

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

Dash salt

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Add to 1 cup scalded milk in double boiler and stir constantly until thickened and smooth. It will take about 10 to 15 minutes.

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Stir a small amount of the thickened mixture to three beaten egg yolks and return to mixture. Continue to cook a little longer.

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Add to cooked mixture:

Gelatin

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

(I would skip the vanilla and almond and add rum)

Cool the mixture.

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Fold in one cup whipping cream, whipped. Place in a baked pie crust. Sprinkle with nutmeg or cinnamon. Place in refrigerator for several hours to chill.

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The recipe was submitted by Mrs. Loren Gosser Sr. of Pearl St. Sandusky Ohio

ROASTED RED ONIONS WITH POMEGRANATE MOLASSES AND ORANGE ZEST Serves 8 to 10. Another great recipe from Phyllis Carey! *** Onions: 5 T. extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 cup pomegranate molasses 2 T. red wine vinegar 1 T. minced fresh rosemary 2 tsp. coarse salt 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 5 medium red onions, peeled, each cut into 8 wedges through core, with some core still attached to each piece Gremolata: 2/3 cup fresh pomegranate seeds 1 T. chopped fresh Italian parsley 2 tsp. finely grated orange peel 1. For onions, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Whisk olive oil, pomegranate molasses, vinegar, rosemary, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add onions; toss gently. Arrange onions close together, 1 cut side down, on baking sheet; spoon juices from bowl over. Roast 30 minutes. 2. Using small spatula, carefully turn onions over. Continue to roast onions until tender and thickly coated with glaze, watching to prevent overbrowning, about 25 minutes longer. Remove from oven. (Can be made 3 hours ahead. Let stand on baking sheet at room temperature. Rewarm in 350 degree oven before serving, if desired.) 3. For gremolata, mix pomegranate seeds, parsley, and orange peel in small bowl. Arrange warm or room-temperature onions on platter. Sprinkle gremolata over and serve.

One of my favorite neighborhood girl activities is to take a cooking class at Great News! Our favorite instructor is Phyllis Carey who makes the classes fun and ecucational. I receive a recipe weekly via the internet. I have turkey leftovers from Thanksgiving making this recipe very welcome. *** White Bean Chili with Turkey or Chicken, Yellow Peppers, Chilies and Corn Serves 6. Ingredients: 1 T. olive oil 1 cup chopped onion 1 yellow bell pepper, diced 1 T. minced fresh jalapeno chili 1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin 1-14 oz. can cream-style corn 1-7 oz. can diced green chilies 1 cup turkey or chicken broth 1 cup heavy whipping cream 1-15 oz. can small white beans, rinsed and drained 2 cups shredded cooked turkey or chicken Salt and pepper to taste 1 1/2 cups shredded white cheddar cheese, divided use *** Directions: 1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add onion, yellow pepper and jalapeno and cook, stirring often, for 3 to 4 minutes or until softened. Add cumin, creamed corn, canned chilies, broth and cream. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. 2. Lower heat and stir in beans and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, to blend flavors, about 10 minutes. Stir in turkey or chicken and season with salt and pepper to taste. Heat about 1 minute to warm turkey or chicken. Stir in 1 cup of the cheese, stirring until melted. Serve topped with remaining cheese sprinkled on top.

Gingersnap and Hazelnut Crust Pumpkin Pie

Gingersnap and Hazelnut Crust

Pumpkin Pie

This recipe was found in Saveur Magazine November 2011. I enjoy the flavors of both ginger and hazelnuts. The family gave two thumbs up and a great review for the pie and crust. This will be my new recipe for pumpkin pie!

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Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups (about 8 oz.) finely ground gingersnap 
    cookie crumbs

3/4 cup finely ground hazelnuts

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed

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Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325. 

 Combine gingersnap crumbs, hazelnuts, butter and brown sugar in a food processor and process until evenly combined. Place mixture in pie dish and pat evenly on bottom and sides of dish. Bake 10 minutes until set. Let cool and set aside. When cooled, gently pour pumpkin pie filling into crust.

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Toast the hazelnuts for a fuller flavor of the nut. Place on a baking pan and toast 15 minutes in a 350 oven. Place in a dish towel and wrap or roll covering the nuts in layers of the towel allowing to cool. When cool, roll the towel into a "purse" and rub the nuts brisk. This will remove the skins and make a more flavorful rich nut flavor. Then grind fine for the recipe.

Maple Pecan Tart

You may have seen this recipe on Yahoo. It certainly is a great alternative to the corn syrup recipes we have used in the past.

Maple Pecan Tart

Makes: 10 servings Active time: 40 minutes | Total: 2 1/4 hours To make ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Serve at room temperature. | Equipment: 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom

This pecan tart gets added tang from dried cherries. Instead of corn syrup, which is found in most pecan pie recipes, we've opted for maple syrup. If you can find it, choose dark amber or grade B, because it has the richest maple flavor. The crust, made with heart-healthy pecans and canola oil, couldn't be easier to whip together. Just blend it in the food processor and pat it into your tart pan.

Ingredients

1 large egg yolk

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, divided

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 tablespoon water

2 cups pecan halves, divided

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

2 large eggs

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

2 teaspoons dark rum (optional)

1/3 cup dried cherries, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Generously coat a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom with cooking spray.

2. Combine egg yolk, 2 tablespoons melted butter, oil and water in a small bowl. Process 1/2 cup pecans and sugar in a food processor to the consistency of coarse meal. Add flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt and pulse until combined. Drizzle the yolk mixture through the feed tube while pulsing and pulse just until the mixture is combined.

3. Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared pan, pressing it firmly into the bottom and all the way up the sides to form a crust. Place on a baking sheet. Bake until dry and just beginning to brown on the edges, 12 to 14 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, whisk eggs, maple syrup, brown sugar, rum (if using), the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Transfer 1/4 cup of the mixture to a small bowl. Chop 1/2 cup pecans and add to the medium bowl. Stir in cherries. Mix the remaining 1 cup pecans with the reserved maple mixture.

5. Remove the tart crust from the oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°.

6. If there are any cracks in the crust, sprinkle with a little flour and use a dry pastry brush to "seal" the flour into the cracks. Evenly spread the filling in the crust. Arrange the maple syrup-coated pecans decoratively on top and drizzle with any remaining maple mixture.

7. Bake the tart until it no longer jiggles in the center when gently shaken, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for about 20 minutes. Remove the sides of the pan (use a butter knife to gently loosen the tart from the pan sides if it sticks in spots). Let cool completely, about 40 minutes more.

Infused Ketchup

Yesterday I went to lunch with my neighbor Alice. We each enjoyed the same sandwich. Alice requested ketchup for her fries. Alice asked me to taste the ketchup as it really was infused with something tasty. We asked the manager as he came to our table to question our satisfaction with our food. He was eager to share the recipe. I will try to share the recipe as it was shared with us.

Pomegranate Infused Ketchup

8 Roma Tomatoes, cut in quarters

3 garlic cloves

1 small onion, diced

Fresh basil, chiffanod

Olive oil

Pomegranate molasses*

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Quarter the tomatoes lengthwise to expose as much flesh as possible. Place the tomatoes in a bowl, add the finely sliced garlic, diced onion and basil. Allow to remain for two hours.

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Place the tomato mixture on a baking sheet and bake at 325 for about 1/2 hour or more just until tomatoes begin to caramelize. Do not allow to darken. Remove from oven and allow the tomatoes to soak up the juices and cool.

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The ratio of tomatoes to ketchup is one tomato to two ounces of commercial ketchup. Puree the tomato mixture. Add to the ketchup. Add Pomegranate molasses to taste. Ketchup will keep indefinitely in refrigerator.

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Pomegranate Molasses Don't let this item change your thought of creating this recipe. I took a cooking class and learned that if you take pomegranate juice and cooking it reducing it from 3 cups to 1 cup, you have the some composition.

Grauensuppe or German Barley Soup

This recipe is from Saveur magazine. Living in California we have a very short period of time when the weather commands a pot of soup on the lunch menu. So with our cooler days, we are enjoying this recipe.

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Ingredients:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 cup pearl barley

8 cups vegetable stock

1/2 cup finely chopped peeled Russet potato

1/2 cup finely chopped carrot

1/2 cup finely chopped celery root

1/2 cup finely chopped leek

1 teaspoon dried marjoram

2 German sausages, like knockwurst or bratwurst

1 2-oz piece bacon

Finely grated nutmeg, to taste

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/3 cup thinly sliced flat leaf parsley

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Heat butter in a 6 quart saucepan over medium-high heat; add onions, and cook stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add barley and cook stirring constantly until toasted, about 5 minutes. Add stock, potato, carrot, celery root, leek and marjoram, sausage sand bacon, and cook stirring occasionally, until sausages are tender, about 35 minutes. Remove sausages and bacon from saucepan, thinly slice sausages and discard bacon. Season soup with nutmeg, salt and pepper. To serve ladle into 8 serving bowls, and garnish with parsley and sliced sausage.

Juicing A Lemon or Lime

http://www.gourmet.com/food/testkitchen/2008/09/knauer_citrusjuicetip

Great video tip!

From the Denver Post:

Lemons can be expensive, sometimes a buck a lemon.

Until a couple years ago, whenever I came across a recipe that called for lemon juice, I used to see dollar signs. Adding “the juice of 2 lemons” suddenly added $2 to my bill.

Then I saw this video from the late Gourmet magazine, in which Ian Knauer proves that slicing a lemon lengthwise — instead of crosswise — yields a lot more juice. Three times more, in his experiment. (Click the blue line above to watch it.)

This works for limes, too.