You Want Pies With That? – Personality Pie

What do you say when someone asks you to describe yourself? It’s hard isn’t it? You’ll take all kinds of suggestions from others, but when you have to toot your own horn… it’s overwhelming. At least for me, it is. So, when Branny decided that this month’s YWPWT? theme would be about our beautiful personalities, I was stumped.

My first thought was that I’m sweet. Well, geez, that could be any pie in the world, right (obviously excluding those savory ones)? I also think I’m nice, honest and a good friend. Great! How do you make a pie fitting those attributes?? You can’t. I thought about it for almost a month. I did, however, find something that fit the bill of ‘quick & easy’ (which is always a good thing). I figured if I couldn’t make something that screamed ‘nice’, it could scream ‘chocolate’. 🙂

Chocolate Overload Pie
Adapted from: CakeSpy

1 pre-baked Pie Shell
1 pkg (5.9 oz) instant fat-free, sugar-free chocolate pudding
2 c melted Dorie’s Dark Chocolate Ganache Ice Cream
Whipped cream (for topping)

Beat pudding mix and ice cream with a whisk until fully combined (about 2 minutes). Spoon mixture into pie shell and with an offset spatula, smooth the top so that the mixture is evenly distributed. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours or until set. If desired, top with a dollop of whipped cream before serving.

There ya go… quick & easy. 😉

 

Tuesdays With Dorie – Sweet Cream Biscuits

So sorry for my tardiness, y’all! Things like an expedited passport renewal got in the way. Seems that even though my passport is good for a week after my return from overseas in the next few weeks, Germany requires that it be valid for at least 3 months AFTER your trip. I found this out after hours of my own research… no thanks to the customer service at American Airlines or the passport office inside the USPS. So… it’s in the mail (Express, thankyouverymuch) and guaranteed to be there by noon tomorrow. Cross your fingers (and toes!) that I have it back by May 11!! 😀

On to the biscuits! These yummy little things were chosen by Melissa of Love At First Bite and that they were! Love at first bite… warm, tender biscuits that are perfect with sausage gravy and just right for Sunday breakfast. Very similar to these, too. Check Melissa’s blog for the recipe and take a look at the other TWD bakers here!

Sweet Cream Biscuits (pg. 23)
Source: Baking – From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

 

Tuesdays With Dorie – Banana Cream Pie

It was my good buddy Amy’s turn to pick this week’s TWD recipe… and boy, was it a yummy one! I’m not a huge fan of bananas, but I gave ’em a try anyway. I mean, somebody had to try the sliced piece…

The bananas didn’t kill me and I loved the spices that Dorie added to the custard (cinnamon’s my absolute favorite). So, thank you Amy, for getting me to eat bananas… and for choosing this pie! 🙂

Chosen by Amy of Sing For Your Supper (love ya, girl!!), I give you Dorie’s Banana Cream Pie…

Banana Cream Pie (pg. 342-343)
Source: Baking – From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

 

Paula’s Lemon-Basil Chicken Salad

Between my mom and me, we’ve got enough basil to last us until next May, so when I saw Paula make this salad on Sunday morning, I knew it would be perfect for today’s lunch. And, mmmm, it was so yummy. 🙂 It is a bit on the sour side, but not too overpowering. However, Momma G doesn’t like sour foods and she didn’t like it one bit. Maybe tweak it a bit the next time I make it? I’m thinking: sub the mayo with plain yogurt, add a little garlic… maybe some grapes.

Lemon-Basil Chicken Salad
Source: Paula Deen’s Best Dishes

4 c diced cooked chicken
1 rib minced celery
1/4 c chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 c slivered almonds
1/2 c sour cream
1/2 c mayonnaise
1-1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

In a medium bowl, combine chicken, celery, basil and almonds. In a small bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Add to chicken mixture, tossing gently to coat. Cover and chill.

 

Barefoot Bloggers – Grown Up Mac & Cheese

This week’s Barefoot Bloggers recipe was Grown Up Mac & Cheese. I got really excited until I clicked onto Food Network’s site and read the ingredients. One, I’m not a fan of bacon unless it’s burned… almost to the point of disintegration. 🙂 Two, I don’t like any stinky cheeses… like the Gruyere or Blue Cheese that’s called for below. So, now, without those three ingredients, it’s not really “Grown Up” anymore, is it?

It was tasty, but the next time I make it I’m definitely adding a tent of foil half way through the baking time, since the top noodles were crunchy when I took it out of the oven. Overall, pretty good… even if it wasn’t all that “Grown Up”. 😉

Chosen by Heather of Randomosity and the Girl, I give you Ina’s Grown Up Mac & Cheese…

Grown Up Mac & Cheese
Source: Ina Garten

4 oz thick-sliced bacon (omitted)
Vegetable oil
Kosher salt
2 c elbow macaroni or cavatappi
1-1/2 c milk
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
4 oz Gruyere cheese, grated (omitted)
3 oz extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (doubled)
2 oz blue cheese, such as Roquefort, crumbled (omitted)
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Pinch nutmeg
2 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed
2 tbsp freshly chopped basil leaves

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place a baking rack on a sheet pan and arrange the bacon in 1 layer on the baking rack. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the bacon is crisp. Remove the pan carefully from the oven – there will be hot grease in the pan! Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and crumble when it is cool enough to handle.

Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don’t boil it. Melt the butter in a medium pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or 2 more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, blue cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and crumbled bacon and stir well. Pour into 2 individual size gratin dishes.

Place the bread slices in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until you have coarse crumbs. Add the basil and pulse to combine. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the top of the pasta. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

 

Daring Bakers/August – Chocolate Éclairs by Pierre Hermé

This is what happens when you write your recipes in advance and set them to post while you’re sleeping… you forget to really write a post! 🙂 I was browsing other DB’ers blogs when I realized that I hadn’t written anything about the actual éclairs or what I thought about them! Forgive me… it’s been a long weekend.

As it was just me this weekend (again), I didn’t need to eat more than one (maybe two 🙂 ) éclairs… let alone 20-24!! So, instead of the long finger-like shapes, I made round, cream puff-like ones and had just enough to take to work on Friday morning (thus, eliminating any temptation by keeping them around the house!).

These were SO yummy, but I think after making both variations of pâte à choux, I prefer Dorie’s version (found in Baking – From My Home to Yours). For some reason, Pierre’s end result was a little crispier to me. Not bad at all, though!! I had fun making these and it didn’t take as long as I was expecting (which is always a good thing!).

Chosen by Meeta of What’s for lunch, Honey? and Tony Tahhan, I give you this month’s delicious Daring Bakers recipe…

Pierre Hermé’s Chocolate Éclairs
Source: Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Hermé
Yields: 20-24 Éclairs

Cream Puff Dough
1/2 c whole milk
1/2 c water
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
1/4 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 c all-purpose flour
5 large eggs, room temperature

In a heavy bottomed medium saucepan, bring the milk, water, butter, sugar and salt to the boil. Once the mixture is at a rolling boil, add all of the flour at once, reduce the heat to medium and start to stir the mixture vigorously with a wooden spoon. The dough comes together very quickly. Do not worry if a slight crust forms at the bottom of the pan, it’s supposed to. You need to carry on stirring for a further 2-3 minutes to dry the dough. After this time the dough will be very soft and smooth.

Transfer the dough into a bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or using your handmixer or if you still have the energy, continue by hand. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each egg has been added to incorporate it into the dough. You will notice that after you have added the first egg, the dough will separate, once again do not worry. As you keep working the dough, it will come back all together again by the time you have added the third egg. In the end the dough should be thick and shiny and when lifted it should fall back into the bowl in a ribbon. The dough should be still warm. It is now ready to be used for the éclairs as directed above.

Notes:
1) Once the dough is made you need to shape it immediately.
2) You can pipe the dough and the freeze it. Simply pipe the dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets and slide the sheets into the freezer. Once the dough is completely frozen, transfer the piped shapes into freezer bags. They can be kept in the freezer for up to a month.

Chocolate Pastry Cream
2 c whole milk
4 large egg yolks
6 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch, sifted
7 oz bittersweet chocolate, preferably Velrhona Guanaja, melted
2-1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

In a small saucepan, bring the milk to a boil. In the meantime, combine the yolks, sugar and cornstarch together and whisk in a heavy‐bottomed saucepan. Once the milk has reached a boil, temper the yolks by whisking a couple spoonfuls of the hot milk into the yolk mixture.Continue whisking and slowly pour the rest of the milk into the tempered yolk mixture.

Strain the mixture back into the saucepan to remove any egg that may have scrambled. Place the pan over medium heat and whisk vigorously (without stop) until the mixture returns to a boil. Keep whisking vigorously for 1 to 2 more minutes (still over medium heat).Stir in the melted chocolate and then remove the pan from the heat. Scrape the pastry cream into a small bowl and set it in an ice‐water bath to stop the cooking process. Make sure to continue stirring the mixture at this point so that it remains smooth.

Once the cream has reached a temperature of 140 F remove from the ice‐water bath and stir in the butter in three or four installments. Return the cream to the ice‐water bath to continue cooling, stirring occasionally, until it has completely cooled. The cream is now ready to use or store in the fridge.

Notes:
1) The pastry cream can be made 2‐3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
2) In order to avoid a skin forming on the pastry cream, cover with plastic wrap pressed onto the cream.
3) Tempering the eggs raises the temperature of the eggs slowly so that they do not scramble.

Chocolate Glaze
1/3 c heavy cream
3-1/2 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
4 tsp unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces, at room temperature
7 tbsp Chocolate Sauce (recipe below), warm or at room temperature

In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a boil. Remove from the heat and slowly begin to add the chocolate, stirring with a wooden spoon or spatula. Stirring gently, stir in the butter, piece by piece followed by the chocolate sauce.

Notes:
1) If the chocolate glaze is too cool (i.e. not liquid enough) you may heat it briefly
 in the microwave or over a double boiler. A double boiler is basically a bowl sitting over (not touching) simmering water.
2) It is best to glaze the eclairs after the glaze is made, but if you are pressed for time, you can make the glaze a couple days ahead of time, store it in the fridge and bring it up to the proper temperature (95 to 104 degrees F) when ready to glaze.

Chocolate Sauce
4-1/2 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 c water
1/2 c crème fraîche, or heavy cream
1/3 c sugar

Place all the ingredients into a heavy‐bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil, making sure to stir constantly. Then reduce the heat to low and continue stirring with a wooden spoon until the sauce thickens. It may take 10‐15 minutes for the sauce to thicken, but you will know when it is done when it coats the back of your spoon.

Notes:
1) You can make this sauce ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for two weeks. Reheat the sauce in a microwave oven or a double boiler before using.
2) This sauce is also great for cakes, ice-cream and tarts.

Baking the cream puff dough:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Divide the oven into thirds by positioning the racks in the upper and lower half of the oven. Line two baking sheets with waxed or parchment paper.

Fill a large pastry bag fitted with a 2/3 (2cm) plain tip nozzle with the warm cream puff dough. Pipe the dough onto the baking sheets in long, 4 to 4-1/2 inches (about 11 cm) chubby fingers. Leave about 2 inches (5 cm) space in between each dough strip to allow them room to puff. The dough should give you enough to pipe 20-24 éclairs.

Slide both the baking sheets into the oven and bake for 7 minutes. After the 7 minutes, slip the handle of a wooden spoon into the door to keep in ajar. When the éclairs have been in the oven for a total of 12 minutes, rotate the sheets top to bottom and front to back. Continue baking for a further 8 minutes or until the éclairs are puffed, golden and firm. The total baking time should be approximately 20 minutes.

Notes:
1) The éclairs can be kept in a cool, dry place for several hours before filling.

Assembling the éclairs:
Slice the éclairs horizontally, using a serrated knife and a gently sawing motion. Set aside the bottoms and place the tops on a rack over a piece of parchment paper.

The glaze should be barely warm to the touch (between 95–104 degrees F or 35–40 degrees C, as measured on an instant read thermometer). Spread the glaze over the tops of the éclairs using a metal icing spatula. Allow the tops to set and in the meantime fill the bottoms with the pastry cream.

Pipe or spoon the pastry cream into the bottoms of the éclairs. Make sure you fill the bottoms with enough cream to mound above the pastry. Place the glazed tops onto the pastry cream and wriggle gently to settle them.

Notes:
1) If you have chilled your chocolate glaze, reheat by placing it in a bowl over simmering water, stirring it gently with a wooden spoon. Do not stir too vigorously as you do not want to create bubbles.
2) The éclairs should be served as soon as they have been filled.

 

Tuesdays With Dorie – Blueberry Sour Cream Ice Cream

For this week’s TWD pick, Dolores of Chronicles in Culinary Curiosity chose Blueberry Sour Cream Ice Cream. I’m not gonna lie. It wasn’t one of my favorites… but, the more I tasted it, the more it grew on me. The sour cream taste came across as pretty bold, though. Maybe I should’ve added more sugar? Who knows? I’d love to try it again, possibly with a different fruit (like raspberry) and less sour cream, of course. 🙂 Amy suggested to try it with homemade fudge sauce on top. Oh, how I would’ve loved some of that! Unfortunately, I’m trying to slim down a little bit for an upcoming wedding that I’m in…. plus, I just didn’t flat out have the time!! Next time for sure!

*Note to self: When trying to open a cabinet door in your 1980s kitchen, don’t leave your immersion blender standing up in whatever you’ve just blended.

Blueberry Sour Cream Ice Cream (pg. 434)
Source: Baking – From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

 

Barefoot Bloggers – Herbed Baked Eggs

Say “Bonjour” to yet another cooking group!! 🙂 I’ve recently joined Barefoot Bloggers, where we cook and bake recipes from Ina Garten’s ‘Barefoot Contessa’ series of cookbooks. Our first challenge is Herbed Baked Eggs from Barefoot in Paris and they were incredibly yummy!! I made two dishes… one with the yolks and one without (since I eat whites only). This is a perfect Sunday brunch for weekend guests – definitely on my list to make again!!

Herbed Baked Eggs
Source: Barefoot in Paris by Ina Garten

1/4 tsp minced fresh garlic
1/4 tsp minced fresh thyme leaves
1/4 tsp minced fresh rosemary leaves
1 tbsp minced fresh parsley
1 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan
6 extra-large eggs
2 tbsp heavy cream
1 tbsp unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Toasted French bread or brioche, for serving

Preheat the broiler for 5 minutes and place the oven rack 6 in. below the heat.

Combine the garlic, thyme, rosemary, parsley and Parmesan and set aside. Carefully crack 3 eggs into each of 2 small bowls or teacups (you won’t be baking them in these) without breaking the yolks. It’s very important to have all the eggs ready to go before you start cooking.

Place 2 individual gratin dishes on a baking sheet. Place 1 tbsp of cream and 1/2 tbsp of butter in each dish and place under the broiler for about 3 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Quickly, but carefully, pour 3 eggs into each gratin dish and sprinkle evenly with the herb mixture, then sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Place back under the broiler for 5-6 minutes, until the whites of the eggs are almost cooked. (Rotate the baking sheet once if they aren’t cooking evenly.) The eggs will continue to cook after you take them out of the oven. Allow to set for 1 minute and serve hot with toasted bread.

 

Tuesdays With Dorie – Peanut Butter Torte

This was amazing… almost as good as my mom’s famous Peanut Butter Pie, but not quite. 🙂

Thanks to Elizabeth from Ugg Smell Food for choosing this incredibly yummy dessert!! You know the drill… check out all of the other entries here!!

Peanut Butter Torte
Source: Baking – From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

1-1/4 c finely chopped salted peanuts (for the filling, crunch and topping)
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp instant espresso powder (or finely ground instant coffee)
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (I omitted, since I was out of it!)
1/2 c mini chocolate chips (or finely chopped semisweet chocolate)
24 Oreo cookies, finely crumbed or ground in a food processor or blender
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Small pinch of salt
2-1/2 c heavy cream
1-1/4 c confectioners’ sugar, sifted
12 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
1-1/2 c salted peanut butter – crunchy or smooth (not natural; Dorie uses Skippy) (I used Peter Pan)
2 tbsp whole milk (Skim for me!)
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

Getting ready:
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9″ Springform pan and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.
Toss 1/2 cup of the chopped peanuts, the sugar, espresso powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and chocolate chops together in a small bowl. Set aside.
Put the Oreo crumbs, melted butter and salt in another small bowl and stir with a fork just until crumbs are moistened. Press the crumbs evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the Springform pan (they should go up about 2″ on the sides). Freeze the crust for 10 minutes.
Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a rack and let it cool completely before filling.
Working with a stand mixer (fitted with the whisk attachment) or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, whip 2 cups of the cream until it holds medium peaks. Beat in 1/4 cup of the confectioners’ sugar and whip until the cream holds medium-firm peaks. Scrape the cream into a bowl and refrigerate until needed.
Wipe out (do not wash) the bowl, fit the stand mixer with the paddle attachment (if you have one), or continue with the hand mixer, and beat the cream cheese with the remaining 1 cup confectioners’ sugar on medium speed until the cream cheese is satiny smooth. Beat in the peanut butter, 1/4 cup of the chopped peanuts and the milk.
Using a large rubber spatula, gently stir in about one quarter of the whipped cream, just to lighten the mousse. Still working with the spatula, stir in the crunchy peanut mixture, then gingerly fold in the remaining whipped cream.
Scrape the mousse into the crust, mounding and smoothing the top. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight; cover with plastic wrap as soon as the mousse firms.

To Finish The Torte:
Put the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Leave the bowl over the water just until the chocolate softens and starts to melt, about 3 minutes; remove the bowl from the saucepan (I heated my chocolate in the microwave in 30 sec. intervals).
Bring the remaining 1/2 cup of cream to a full boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and, working with a a rubber spatula, very gently stir together until the ganache is completely blended and glossy.
Pour the ganache over the torte, smoothing it with a metal icing spatula. Scatter the remaining 1/2 cup of peanuts over the top and chill to set the topping, about 20 minutes.
When the ganache is firm, remove the sides of the Springform pan. It’s easiest to warm the pan with a hairdryer, and then remove the sides, but you can also wrap a kitchen towel dampened with hot water around the pan and leave it there for 10 seconds.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.