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Every year I look forward to a local ice cream shop announcing that pumpkin ice cream is back for the season yet every year I keep telling myself that I am just going to make it myself instead. This year was the one that I decided to just make it. A few days ago I hosted an early Thanksgiving dinner for my family and decided I would make a batch of this pumpkin ice cream for a light dessert. Although I definitely could have let the batter spend more time chilling in the fridge I got antsy and churned it anyway. The end results were delicious. Just as I remembered it, yet so much more!
If you ever thought that you might enjoy a frozen pumpkin pie then you would definitely enjoy this ice cream because it tastes exactly like that. The pumpkin flavor is perfect and the amount of spices is right on. I think crushed up graham crackers mixed in would add another great layer of flavor to this already delicious treat. This is definitely a treat that is perfect for the pumpkin lover in any family.
Pumpkin Ice Cream
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma
~ makes about 1 quart~
Ingredients
1 cup fresh pumpkin puree or canned unsweetened pumpkin puree
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
5 egg yolks
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. salt
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1 Tbs. bourbon
Directions
- In a bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree and vanilla. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 8 hours.
- In a heavy 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, combine 1 1/2 cups of the cream and 1/2 cup of the brown sugar. Cook until bubbles form around the edges of the pan, about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the egg yolks, cinnamon, ginger, salt, nutmeg, the remaining 1/2 cup cream and the remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar. Whisk until smooth and the sugar begins to dissolve.
- Remove the cream mixture from the heat. Gradually whisk about 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture into the egg mixture until smooth. Pour the egg mixture back into the pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon and keeping the custard at a low simmer, until it is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon and leaves a clear trail when a finger is drawn through it, 4 to 6 minutes. Do not allow the custard to boil. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl.
- Place the bowl in a larger bowl partially filled with ice water, stirring occasionally until cool. Whisk the pumpkin mixture into the custard. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly on the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Transfer the custard to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. Add the bourbon during the last minute of churning. Transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container. Cover and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours or up to 3 days, before serving.
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Wow, another whole month has passed by where I have yet to update my precious blog. What can I say, life has been pretty crazy the past couple of months and it has been hard to keep up. I hope to do better in the new year by updating more often and even possibly moving to my own domain. But for now let's concentrate of the important stuff, Christmas cookies! A couple of weeks ago my sister e-mailed me this recipe and asked if I could make it for Christmas. Since I am such a wonderful sister I went ahead and added it to my Christmas baking list.
Making the dough for these cookies is very similar to making a pie crust. Cubed cold butter is cut into dry ingredients and then more ingredients are added and the dough is kneaded (I used my stand mixer for this step) until it forms a ball. The end result of this process is a soft and delicate cookie that is both sweet and chocolaty. I personally love the combination of cherries, white chocolate and almond flavor! These are the perfect treat for the holiday season.
Dipped Cherry Cookies
Adapted from Taste of Home
Ingredients
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar, divided
1 cup cold butter, cubed
1/2 cup finely chopped maraschino cherries, drained
12 ounces white baking chocolate, finely chopped, divided
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 teaspoons shortening
Coarse sugar and red edible glitter
Directions
- In a large bowl, combine flour and 1/2 cup sugar; cut in butter until crumbly. Knead in the cherries, 2/3 cup white chocolate and extract until dough forms a ball.
- Shape into 3/4-in. balls. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten slightly with a glass dipped in remaining sugar. Bake at 325° for 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.
- In a microwave, melt shortening and remaining white chocolate at 70% power for 1 minute; stir. Microwave at additional 10- to 20-second intervals, stirring until smooth.
- Dip half of each cookie into chocolate; allow excess to drip off. Sprinkle with coarse sugar and edible glitter. Place on waxed paper until set. Store in an airtight container.
Yield: about 4 dozen.
I hope that you all had a very Merry Christmas!
I made this cake a few weeks ago for my husband's work Christmas party. I did not post it because it was just a chocolate cake with chocolate cream filling and frosted with mint buttercream. It was so beautiful that I could not pass up the opportunity to share a picture of it.
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Wow, I am so ashamed. The last time I posted a dinner item on this blog was way back in July when I posted Cashew Chicken. Seriously, I am just sooo ashamed by this. You all probably think that I about 900 pounds and unable to walk with all the sweets and breads that I have been posting for the past few months. I assure you that I am not 900 pounds and I have been eating more than cookies and bread for dinner. I have just been in a funk and have not been very adventurous in the kitchen. Hopefully this will change with the new year and I will get back to posting more often and with a better variety.
I had some turkey leftover from a Christmas Eve dinner and thought that tetrazzini would be the perfect way to use it up. I decided to try a recipe that I found on Elise's site, Simply Recipes, due to the simplicity of it. I was also intrigued by the use of Swiss and Parmesan cheese. Although I managed to dirty way more dishes than I should have, the recipe was very easy to make and came together perfectly. Although the top layer of my dish became dried out and extra crispy (due to a guest that would not stop talking long enough to leave my house) this meal came out delicious. The flavors in the sauce were a perfect match for mushrooms and peas and the pasta was nice and creamy. This was a delicious meal that I would definitely make again.
Turkey Tetrazzini
Adapted from Simply RecipesIngredients
12 oz egg noodles, spaghetti, linguine or other pasta
12 ounces mushrooms, sliced (about 4-5 cups)
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups of milk
1/4 cup cream
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup dry sherry (or vermouth or dry white wine)
3 cups coarsely chopped cooked turkey
1 cup peas
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan (divided into 1/3 and 1/3 cups)
1/3 cup shredded Swiss cheese
2 Tbsp lemon juice
Salt and Pepper
Ground nutmeg (optional)
1/3 cup fine fresh bread crumbs (or panko)
Freshly chopped parsley for garnish (optional)
Method
1 Preheat oven to 375°F. Start heating 2 to 3 quarts of water for the pasta. Add 1 teaspoon of salt for each quart of water.
2 Cook the mushrooms in 3 Tbsp of the butter over medium heat, stirring, until all of the liquid the mushrooms give off has evaporated, 5-10 minutes. Set aside.
3 In a large, heavy saucepan, melt 1/4 cup of butter. Stir in the flour, and cook the mixture over low heat, stirring, for 3 minutes.
4 About now, put the pasta into the boiling water you've heated. Follow the package directions and cook until al dente. While the pasta is cooking continue on with the recipe.
5 Into the saucepan with the butter and flour, slowly whisk in the milk, cream, broth, and the sherry. Bring to a simmer and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for about 5 to 8 minutes.
6 When the pasta is ready, drain it. In a large bowl combine the pasta, the sauce, the mushrooms, the turkey, and the peas. Stir in 1/3 cup of the Parmesan and the 1/3 cup of Swiss cheese. Stir in the lemon juice. Add salt and pepper to taste. Note that if you have been using unsalted butter, and/or unsalted or low sodium stock, you will need to add more salt than you might expect. Just keep sprinkling it in until it is seasoned to your taste. Add a pinch of ground nutmeg if using, again to taste. Transfer the mixture to a buttered 3-quart casserole.
7 In a small bowl combine well the remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan and the bread crumbs. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the tetrazzini, and dot the top with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, cut into bits.
8 Bake the Tetrazzini in the middle rack of the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until it is bubbling and the top is golden.
Garnish individual servings with chopped parsley.
Serves 4 to 6
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I have always been a fan of soft pretzels. They are crisp and browned on the outside and light and moist on the inside. I think that they really are the perfect treat. I have a old stand-by recipe for them that I make often but decided to change it up and try out a new recipe. I used a recipe I found in Peter Reinhart's new book, Artisan Breads Every Day. I was so fond of his first book, The Bread Bakers Apprentice that I signed up to be a recipe tester for this new book. I had an awesome time testing recipes and was excited for the release of the book. The first thing I did when I bought the book was flip to the acknowledgement section and try to find my name. :) Enough about me, back to the pretzels...
These pretzels do require a bit of planning since the dough needs to be made a day (or up to 4 days) in advance but the wait is well worth it. Although this will not become my new favorite pretzel recipe it is definitely something I will make again. This recipe just did not represent to me what soft pretzels are all about. Maybe it was not quite sweet enough on the inside, maybe it was not as light and airy as what I expected either. I don't know, it just seemed like something was off. Next time I make this recipe I think that I would shape the dough into a large loaf and make a loaf of pretzel bread. For now I will stick to my other soft pretzel recipe.
Soft Pretzels
Adapted from Peter Reinhart's Artisan Breads Every Day(pgs 128-131)
Ingredients
4 1/2 cups (20oz) unbleached bread flour
1 3/4 teaspoons (.4oz) salt or 2 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1 1/2 tablespoons (.75oz) brown sugar
1 teaspoon (.11oz) instant yeast
1 1/2 cups (12oz) lukewarm water (about 95 degrees)
2 tablespoons (1oz) vegetable oil or melted butter
8 teaspoons (2oz) baking soda, for dipping
2 cups (16oz) warm water (about 100 degrees), for dipping
1 egg white, for dipping (optional)Pretzel salt or coarse kosher salt, for garnish
Do Ahead
-Combine the flour, salt, and sugar in a mixing bowl. Whisk the yeast into the lukewarm water until dissolved, then let it sit for 1 minute to hydrate.
-Pour the yeast mixture and the oil into the dry ingredients. If using a mixer, use the paddle and mix on lowest speed for 30 to 60 seconds. If mixing by hand, use a large spoon and stir for about 1 minute. A course ball of dough should form.
-Switch to the dough hook and mix on the lowest speed, or continue mixing by hand, for 2 minutes. The dough will become slightly smoother. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.
-Continue to mix with the dough hook on medium-low speed, or mix by hand for 3 minutes, adjusting the water or flour as needed to form a smooth, firm, but slightly tacky ball of dough. If the dough is very tacky or sticky, add more flour.
-Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead for 1 minute to make any final adjustments. Form the dough into a ball and place it in a clean , lightly oiled bowl. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and immediately refrigerate overnight or for up to 4 days. (If you plan to bake the dough in batches over different days, you can portion the dough and place it into two or more oiled bowls at this stage.)
On Baking day
-To make the dipping solution, stir the baking soda into the warm water. Whisk in the optional egg white (this will add a little shine, but it's optional)
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Pour the baking soda solution into a shallow bowl or small pan. -Remove the dough from the refrigerator and immediately divide it into 2 ounce pieces, or 3 ounce pieces if you prefer larger pretzels. Roll each piece into a rope about 17 inches long, tapered at the last 3 inches of each end (if the rope shrinks back after rolling, proceed to the next piece and return a few minutes later, after the gluten has relaxed, and roll the rope again to the full length). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone mat. If the parchment , mist it with spray oil to prevent sticking. Form a piece of dough into a pretzel shape, then place it on the sheet pan.
-As soon as the pan is filled, carefully dip each pretzel into the baking soda solution to thoroughly coat it, then put it back on the pan. Sprinkle on salt to taste, but be aware that a little goes a long way. (See the variations below for other garnish suggestions.) Dip and pan all of the pretzels./-Bake for about 8 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake for another to 10 minutes, until the pretzels are a rich brown.
-Transfer the pretzels to a wire rack and cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Variations
You can substitute whole grain flour for some of the bread flour. If you do so, add 1 tablespoon of water to the final dough for every 7 tablespoons of whole grain flour you use.
You can top these pretzels with many garnishes other than salt. Sesame seeds are very popular, or try a savory or spicy seasoning salts or a sweet streusel topping. Another option is to scatter a good melting cheese on the surface for the last 3 minutes of baking. Or, for a decadent delight, drizzle them with chocolate glaze after they come out of the oven and have cooled a bit.
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I came across this recipe a few weeks ago when my most recent Food Network magazine came in the mail. Since I have yet to find the absolute perfect broccoli cheese soup recipe I figured that I might as well give this one a try. After spilling (and cleaning up) almost 2 cups of milk on the kitchen floor I should have just left the kitchen and tried again another night but I was determined to have this soup for dinner.
I did not have enough time to make bread bowls to go along with this soup so instead I served it with a few slices of garlic toast. The Food Network magazine compared this soup to Panera's broccoli-cheese soup. Although I am not sure how this compares to theirs I do know that this soup was warm, creamy, and delicious. I will definitely make this soup again. Almost-Famous Broccoli-Cheddar Soup
adapted from Food Network
Ingredients
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups half-and-half
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 7-inch sourdough bread boules (round loaves)
4 cups broccoli florets (about 1 head)
1 large carrot, diced
2 1/2 cups (about 8 ounces) grated sharp white and yellow cheddar cheese, plus more for garnish
Directions
Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the flour and cook until golden, 3 to 4 minutes, then gradually whisk in the half-and-half until smooth. Add the chicken broth, bay leaves and nutmeg, then season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, until thickened, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the bread bowls: Using a sharp knife, cut a circle into the top of each loaf, leaving a 1-inch border all around. Remove the bread top, then hollow out the middle with a fork or your fingers, leaving a thick bread shell.
Add the broccoli and carrot to the broth mixture and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Puree the soup in batches in a blender until smooth; you'll still have flecks of carrot and broccoli. Return to the pot. (Or puree the soup in the pot with an immersion blender.)
Add the cheese to the soup and whisk over medium heat until melted. Add up to 3/4 cup water if the soup is too thick. Ladle into the bread bowls and garnish with cheese.
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I have always been a fan of the concept of stuffed mushrooms. Big meaty mushrooms stuffed with all kinds of delicious filling and baked until warm. Seriously what is not to love about that idea. The only problem was that up until last weekend I had never actually eaten a stuffed mushroom. Why do you ask, well I happen to hate (with a passion) onion and seafood and I was just sure that every stuffed mushroom I had ever been offered had one or both of those ingredients in it. So to be safe I waited until I could make them myself to truly indulge in their deliciousness. I helped a friend from work prepare some dishes for a birthday party this past weekend and these stuffed mushrooms were one of the first things that I suggested to make.
These mushrooms were an absolute hit! There were about 50 pieces made and they were the first dish to totally disappear at the party. I had a few requests for the recipe and many people telling me how delicious they were. The prep work of cleaning all the mushrooms is a little time consuming but is definitely worth it. I will definitely be making these again and again.
Mouth-Watering Stuffed Mushroomsfrom Annie's Eats originally adapted from Allrecipes
Ingredients24 whole fresh mushrooms1 tablespoon vegetable oil1 tablespoon minced garlic1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper1/4 teaspoon onion powder1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
DirectionsPreheat the oven to 350° F. Lightly grease a baking sheet with cooking spray. Clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel. Carefully remove the stems from the mushroom caps, setting the caps aside for later. Add the stems to the bowl of a food processor. Add the garlic to the food processor as well, and pulse in brief bursts until them mushroom stems and garlic are finely chopped.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped mushroom stems and garlic and cook until all the moisture has disappeared, about 5-7 minutes. Lower the heat to medium-low. Stir in the cream cheese, Parmesan cheese and spices. Stir together until the mixture is smooth and creamy; remove from the heat. Using a small spoon, fill each mushroom cap with a generous amount of filling. Arrange the mushroom caps on the prepared baking sheet. Top with bread crumbs, if desired. Bake for 20 minutes or until the mushrooms are hot and liquid starts to form under the caps. Transfer to a serving platter, garnish with fresh herbs if using and serve immediately.
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Bacon Wrapped Zucchini StripsI am swimming in zucchini right now.......at least that's what if feels like. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, I simply forget every year how prolific each zucchini plant can be. You can just imagine how many zucchinis I have since I have 22 zucchini plants ;-)Because of this wonderful abundance - every year I try to create new ways to use zucchini. This year I thought: "Everything is always better with bacon" (in my opinion anyway). These Bacon Wrapped Zucchini Strips have been sauteed to perfection and then I dipped them in Creamy Caesar Dressing - "Delish"!!!HOW TO MAKE: Wash, dry and slice the zucchini into 3 inch strips. Cut the bacon strips in half (use thinly sliced bacon). Take 1 zucchini strip & 1 bacon strip and tightly wrap the zucchini with the bacon making sure that the bacon overlaps a little. (NOTE: when the bacon did not overlap - it tended to slip off of the zucchini strip). Saute on both sides until the bacon is crisp or done to your desired texture.Serve immediately with a dipping bowl of Creamy Caesar Dressing and ENJOY!!
