Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween

The Wiz and Glinda the Good Witch

I know I said that I would post Halloween pictures yesterday. But till Pap and I got home from the BIG party at the clubhouse.... I was just too freaking tired. The costumes, are two of my more elaborate ones that I have sewn.

Croquembouche avec le remplissage de cordonnier de pêche

Foodbuzz and Activia have a contest going on to introduce yummy Activia Desserts: Peach Cobbler, Vanilla Bean, Blueberry Cheesecake, and Strawberry Cheesecake. So to be entered in the contest, you need to create a post introducing Activia Desserts, you'll be automatically entered to win one of 3 prizes: $100, $250, or the grand prize: $500**!

This is my entry,

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Ingredients for Pâté A Choux:
1 cup water
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut in small pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour (preferably bread flour; all-purpose will work)
4 eggs

Directions for Pâté A Choux:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. If you have a baking or pizza stone, place that on the lowest rack.

2. Warm eggs in a bowl of hot tap water.

3. In medium saucepan, combine water, butter, salt and sugar, and bring to a full boil. Remove from heat, add vanilla, then add flour all at once, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon to quickly form a ball.

4. Return the pan to medium heat and continue stirring, pressing the dough against the side of the pan and gathering it up into a ball. This dries out the dough so that it can better absorb the eggs. Stir constantly, not letting the dough scorch, for 1 to 2 minutes.

5. Place dough in bowl of stand mixer and set aside.

6. In small bowl, lightly beat three of the warmed eggs. Separate the fourth egg, placing the white in a small dish and beating lightly. Save or discard the yolk.

7. With the mixer on low, gradually add the beaten eggs in three increments, waiting until each addition is absorbed before adding more. Increase mixer speed to medium until eggs are thoroughly incorporated. Stop mixer and test the dough by placing a spoonful on a plate; it should be supple enough to hold its shape, but not “pasty.” If it’s still stiff, beat in the egg white. If it looks very soft, proceed to shaping the puffs.

8. On a baking sheet covered with parchment paper or coated with cooking spray, place teaspoonfuls of dough at least 2 inches apart. You should end up with about 18 dollops for medium puffs.

9. Using a plant spritzer (a clean one!), lightly spray each puff once with water. This will keep them moist longer so they’ll puff as much as possible before firming up.

10. Place baking sheet directly on pizza stone or on bottom rack. Reduce oven temperature to 425 degrees. Bake 25 minutes. Do not open the oven door, or the puffs may collapse. After 25 minutes, remove pan from oven and pierce each puff with a small knife to allow any steam to escape and to help the puffs bake dry. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for another 15 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Makes 16 puffs, more if smaller.

Ingredients for Activia Peach Cobbler Filling:
1 cup Activia Peach Cobbler yogurt
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
4 teaspoons water
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin (from 1 envelope)
Small pinch cinnamon

Directions for
1. Whisk together yogurt, sugar, and vanilla in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved.

2. Put water in a very small saucepan and tilt pan so that water is on one side, then sprinkle gelatin evenly over water. Let stand 1 minute to soften. Heat mixture over low heat, stirring, until gelatin is dissolved, about 30 seconds.

3. Whisk hot gelatin into yogurt until combined well. Pour yogurt mixture into refrigerator to chill abotu 1/2 an hour.

4. When set up enough to pipe, make small hole in Pâté A Choux and fill with Peach Cobbler filling. Chill in refrigerator for at least 1-1/2 hours.

Ingredients for Spun Sugar:
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon corn syrup

Directions for Spun Sugar:
1. Cover the work space with parchment or waxed paper and the floor with newspaper.

2. Place the sugar, 1/2 cup water, and corn syrup in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, over low heat. Stir occasionally until sugar is dissolved. Raise heat to high and bring mixture to a boil. Continue cooking until the temperature registers 310°F / 155°C (hard-crack stage) on a candy thermometer.

3. Remove from heat, and briefly plunge the saucepan into ice water to stop the cooking. Let stand to thicken slightly, about 1 minute.

4. Take a filled Pâté A Choux, carefully dip bottom into hot sugar syrup. Place on platter, building a tower with Pâté A Choux. The sugar syrup will harden and hold them in place.

5. With remaining hot sugar syrup, dip a fork or balloon whisk (preferably one that has had the wires cut off at the bottom to leave many straight equal-length wires) into the sugar syrup and wave back and forth to draw out long, fine, threadlike strands over and around the tower of Pâté A Choux. The syrup will begin hardening almost immediately.

Pumpkin Custard Cake

Everyone has go-to recipes. This is my favorite pumpkin recipe because not only is it delicious and moist, it's also very quick to mix together.

Enjoy these Halloween pictures.

Ingredients:
1 package yellow cake mix
1-1/3 cups water
3 eggs
2 cups (1 pound 2 ounce can) pumpkin pie mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup boiling water

Directions:
1. Grease bottom only of 13x9-inch pan.

2. In large mixer bowl, combine dry cake mix, water and 3 eggs. Blend and beat as directed on package.

3. Pour into prepared pan. In small mixer bowl, beat pumpkin and 2 eggs. Pour evenly over batter. Pour boiling water over all.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes.

Orange Cheesecake with Candied Kumquats

THEY'RE HERE!!! It's finally the season for kumquats. I've been waiting and waiting, like an impatient little child, counting the days till Santa's arrival. Pap and I, along with my daughter's family made a trek to Whole Foods. Upon entering the store, I became giddy with happiness when I spied the small, orange fruit glowing like Rudolph's nose from two aisles away.

My grandson watched in amazement and horror as his Nana vaulted over shopping carts, shoved little children out of the way, and bitch-slapped a produce boy for blocking the access with a towering pomegranate display that he had just finished building.

Finally, there I stood, a smile plastered on my face, and a carton of kumquats clutched in my greedy little hands. I was oblivious to the chaos of crying babies, the booming public address system ordering cleanup on aisle one, and the produce boy digging his way from beneath the mountain of pomegranates that had nearly buried him alive. The only thing I remember is Pap grabbing me by my elbow and yelling in my 'good' ear, "Let's make a break for it before store security shows up with their plastic handcuffs."

Of course that story is all fictitious. Instead I went to Kroger's, and without incident, purchased a carton of kumquats. Zzzzzzzz .... boring.

This is another one of those recipes that I discreetly tore out of a magazine while waiting in a doctor's office. It was Bonappetit 2007.

Ingredients for Candied Kumquats:
2 cups water
2 cups sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
9 ounces kumquats (about 25 medium), thinly sliced crosswise, seeds removed

Combine water and sugar in medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Add kumquats; reduce heat. Simmer until kumquat slices are translucent, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat; cool kumquats in syrup. Strain kumquats, reserving syrup. Combine kumquats and 1/4 cup syrup in small bowl. Return remaining syrup to same saucepan; boil until reduced to 1 & 1/4 cups, about 8 minutes.

Ingredients for Crust:
2 cups vanilla wafer cookie crumbs (made from about 9 ounces cookies, finely ground in processor)
1/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
6 to 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Combine cookie crumbs and brown sugar in medium bowl; add melted butter and stir until crumbs feel moist when pressed together with fingertips. Press crumb mixture evenly onto bottom and 1 inch up sides of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 & 3/4-inch-high sides. Bake crust until set and edges are golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool crust in pan on rack. Maintain oven temperature.

Wrap 4 layers of heavy-duty foil tightly around outside of pan with crust to make pan waterproof.

Ingredients for Filling:
1 cup fresh orange juice
1 cup sugar, divided
2 tablespoons finely grated orange peel
4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 large eggs, room temperature

Combine orange juice, 1/4 cup sugar, and orange peel in small saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat. Simmer until mixture is reduced to 3/4 cup, about 10 minutes. Chill until cool.

Meanwhile, using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and remaining 3/4 cup sugar in large bowl until smooth. Mix in sour cream, flour, and salt. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Mix in cooled orange juice mixture. Pour filling into crust; place springform pan in large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of springform pan.

Bake cake until just set in center, about 1 hour and 35 minutes. Remove cake from roasting pan; remove foil. Place cake directly in refrigerator and chill overnight. Arrange kumquat slices atop cake, covering completely. Remove pan sides; place cake on platter. Cut cake into wedges; drizzle with some kumquat syrup over and serve. The kumquat syrup is perfect with the cake. But don't stop there. It's also yummy drizzled over vanilla ice cream or in a cup of tea, a glass of club soda, or even a vodka Martini.

Kiwi Tartlets in Coconut Almond Shells with Lime Whipped Cream

I discovered this recipe on The Baking Barrister's blog. I was captivated with the coconut almond shells that she had created for this recipe. They turned out to be delicate and delicious. My advice, follow the directions exactly because they are very fragile and will crumble quite easily. Enjoy! 

Ingredients for Tart Shells: 5/8 cup graham cracker crumbs 3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut 3/8 cup sliced almonds 1/4 cup sugar 3.5 Tbsp melted butter Ingredients for Filling: 7 kiwis 1/4 cup sugar 2 tsp cornstarch 1 Tbsp. water 1 lime Ingredients for Whipped Cream: 1/2 cup heavy cream 3 Tbsp. superfine sugar 1 lime reserved kiwi seeds Directions: 1. In a food processor, blend together all of the dry ingredients for the shells. Once blended, turn processor on low and slowly add butter. Mixture will be slightly damp and resemble sand. 2. Grease a non-stick muffin tin, but do not use papers, as they will soak up the butter from the shells and dry them out. 3. In each well, add approximately 1/4 cup of the mixture. Using your fingers or a spoon, pack into the bottoms and the sides of each well. It may help to lightly oil the spoon or your fingers. 4. Bake shells for 8-10 minutes at 350F, until lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool thoroughly in the muffin tin. Removing them before they are completely set will cause them to fall apart. 5. When completely cool, remove shells from the muffin tin. A thin, flexible knife may be of use here. At this point, lightly re-grease the muffin tin and place cool shells back in the wells. You do not want to do the second baking outside of the tin, as the shells will lose their shape. 6. While your shells are cooling, peel all of your kiwis. Slice one as thin as you can, reserving 6 slices for the top of each tartlet. Place the rest in a medium-size sauce pan. 7. Take a second kiwi and puree it. Strain through a fine sieve over the sauce pan. Reserve seeds for whipped cream. Alternatively, if you do not want seeds in your whipped cream, skip this step. 8. Add the other kiwis to the sauce pan with the leftovers from steps 6 and 7. Mash with a fork until you produce a chunky consistency. If your kiwis are ripe, this should be easy. 9. Mix cornstarch in water and add to the sauce pan. Then add 1/4 cup sugar, and the juice of 1 lime. 10. Bring kiwi mixture to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 5-6 minutes, stirring constantly. Your filling is done when it's thick and sticks to a spoon. Let cool. 10. When both filling and shells are cool, spoon filling into each shell and nuzzle in a thin slice of kiwi. Bake at 350F for 5-6 minutes, until the kiwi slices appear to be done. If need be, cover with foil. 11. Allow tarts to cool completely in the tin. If you remember to spray your tin the second time, they should be easy to remove. 12. If making whipped cream, whip the heavy cream, superfine sugar, the juice of 1 lime and the reserved kiwi seeds on high. You may add more lime juice to taste. Note: Shells will absorb moisture if left in the fridge, so I suggest covered in plastic wrap on a plate left on your counter for no more than 2 days. If you want to make them ahead of time, make the filling (store in fridge) and complete the first baking for the tart shells (store on counter), and about two hours before serving, fill the shells and do the final baking

Pace Fiesta Beer Rice

One of the rewards for being a Foodbuzz featured publisher is being a taste tester. We get the awesome opportunity to taste new products and review them. So I give you a BIG thank-you for giving me the delicious chance to sample Pace Picante Sauce.

So what is picante sauce? It kind of looks like salsa. It has tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, and also comes in Mild, Medium, and Hot. It's ideal for cooking, since it’s smoother than salsa with the perfect balance of zesty sauce and crisp vegetables.

A good all-purpose rice dish is essential to any cook's repertoire. Add this one to your collection.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup corn
1/4 cup butter
2 chicken bouillon cubes
2 cups boiling water
1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
3/4 cup beer
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
Pace Picante Sauce on the side

Directions:
1. Saute onion, green pepper, and corn in butter in a saucepan over medium heat until tender. Dissolve bouillon cubes in boiling water; add bouillon mixture to onion and green pepper mixture. Stir in rice, beer, and seasonings. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 to 40 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.

Appalachian Apple Stack Cake

I'm a country girl at heart. And my roots run deep into the soil of the Appalachian Mountains. Food, history, and even local colloquialisms sets us apart from the rest of the country. And, although I enjoy the entertainment that the big city of Atlanta offers. I still crave landscapes of vaulting canopies of trees, farms laid out like patchwork quilts, and quiet photographic villages.

This dessert has captured the essence of the country life.... enjoy.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup butter, melted

Ingredients for Dried Apple Filling:
2 (6 ounce) packages dried apples
4 cups water
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Directions for cake:
1. Beat 1/2 cup butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating well. add egg; beat just until blended.

2. Combine flour, baking powder, soda, and slat; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed after each addition until blended. Stir in vanilla.

3. Divide dough into 6 equal portions; pat 3 portions into three lightly greased 9-inch round cake pans. Prick dough several times with a fork. (Cover remaining dough, and set aside while first layers bake.) Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Carefully remove layers to a wire rack; cool completely. Repeat procedure with remaining 3 portion of dough.

4. Stack cake, spreading 1/4 cup melted butter and Dried Apple Filling between each layer. Cover and chill 8 hours before serving.

Directions for Dried Apple Filling:
1. Combine apples and water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 35 minutes or until apples are tender. Add sugar and spices; stir well. Remove from heat. Let stand at least 10 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

(I modified this recipe to my own liking by baking the cakes in 4-inch springform pans. I didn't layer them as high as the recipe directed, I just made more little cakes.)

Steak with Sweet Potato-Mango Chutney

Ingredients:
1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped (2 cups)
4 (6 ounce) boneless beef eye round steaks, cut 3/4 inch thick
Salt
Steak grilling seasoning blend
1/3 cup mango chutney
1/4 cup dried tart cherries
1/4 cup golden raisins
Fresh thyme leaves, optional

Directions:
1. In a medium saucepan, cook sweet potato, covered in enough boiling, lightly salted water to cover for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender; drain.

2. Trim fat from steaks. Sprinkle steaks lightly with salt and steak seasoning. Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add steaks to skillet; reduce heat to medium. Cook 8 to 10 minutes for medium-rare, turning occasionally. If steaks brown too quickly, reduce heat to medium-low. Remove from skillet; cover and keep warm.

3. Add sweet potato to skillet; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add chutney, dried cherries, and raisins; cook and stir gently until heated through. Season to taste with salt and steak seasoning. Serve steaks with sweet potato mixture and, if desired, sprinkle with thyme. Top with Thyme Butter.

Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Holiday Recipes.

Atlanta Cheese Grits and Corn Pudding

Serve this tasty recipe for breakfast or a light lunch. You'll find that it mixes together quickly. And feel free to cut the recipe in half if you don't need to serve eight.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups Whole Milk
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup grits
3/4 cup grated aged cheddar cheese
2 egg yolks
3/4 cup pureed canned corn
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
3 egg whites

Directions:
1.Make grits: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bring the milk to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add 1/2 tsp. salt and, stirring constantly, add grits in a slow, steady stream. Continue stirring until thick -about 25 min. Cool slightly.

2.Make the pudding: Stir cheese, yolks and corn into the grits. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and add remaining salt and pepper. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold egg whites into the corn mixture.

3.Spray 8 one cup ramekins with coooking oil spray, and fill with corn mix. Place on a baking sheet, and bakes until puffy and golden, about 40-45 minutes. Serve immediately.

Prep Time 30 minutes
Serves: 8

Incredible Banana Split Bundt Cake

This moist tender cake combines bananas, pineapple pieces, strawberries and semi-sweet chocolate chips together to make a simple but elegant cake.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
2 large eggs
2 & 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 & 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 can (15 7 1/4 oz.) pineapple tidbits in juice, undrained
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 & 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup mashed banana
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 & 1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted, divided
1 & 1/2 cups chopped fresh strawberries
1 cup chopped banana
Chocolate Glaze (recipe follows)

Directions:
1. Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Grease and lightly flour a 12-cup Bundt pan.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Drain pineapple tidbits, reserving 1/4 cup juice. Combine reserved pineapple juice and buttermilk in small bowl.

4. Beat butter in large mixer bowl on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, a 1/4 cup at a time, beating on medium speed until well combined. Add eggs, mashed banana and vanilla extract; beat well. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Sir in chocolate chips and 1/4 cup of the walnuts. Gently fold in drained pineapple tidbits, strawberries and banana. Spread batter into prepared pan.

5. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on wire rack for 20 minutes. Remove from; cool completely on wire rack. Drizzle cake with chocolate glaze and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup walnuts. Cover; refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

Ingredients and directions for Chocolate Glaze:
Heat 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, 3 tablespoons butter and 3 tablespoons light corn syrup in small saucepan over low hear, stirring until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Use immediately.

Cinnamon-Walnut Cookie S'mores

This variation on the campfire staple is over the top, thanks to the nutty homemade cookies that replace the graham crackers.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted
1 (4 ounce) bittersweet chocolate baking bar
8 large marshmallows

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugars, beating well. Add egg and vanilla, beating well.

2. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; add to butter mixture. Beat at low speed until blended. Stir in walnuts.

3. Divide dough into 16 equal portions; roll each portion into a ball. Place balls 1 inch apart on lightly greased baking sheets; flatten slightly.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 16 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool cookies on pans 1 minute. Transfer cookies to wire racks. Cool completely.

5. Preheat broiler. Separate chocolate bars into 8 squares. Place a chocolate square on flat side of each of 8 cookies.

6. Place marshmallows on a baking sheet. Broil 3 minutes or until puffed and toasted. Immediately transfer marshmallows to top of chocolate squares, using a small spatula. Top marshmallows with remaining cookies, flat sides down; press down gently.

Recipe adapted from Christmas with Southern Living.

Witch's Hairy Fingers Breadsticks

Halloween.... don't ya love it? Remember being a kid and getting the opportunity to dress outrageous. Then our parents letting us trapse all over the place, in the dark, knocking on strangers doors, and asking for candy. And as a pay back.... puke in the neighbors shrubs from the sugar overload. Damn... those where good times. Enjoy this repost.

Ingredients:
3 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (110 to 115 degrees)
1/2 cup warm milk (110 to 115 degrees)
1 egg
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon green food coloring
2 to 2 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup sliced almonds
Marinara or spaghetti sauce

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk, egg, grated Parmesan cheese, butter, sugar, salt, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, food coloring and 1 cup flour. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.

2. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes.

3. Punch down dough; let stand for 10 minutes. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 16 pieces. Shape each piece into a 10-inch rope. Cut in half. Place 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes. Brush egg white over breadsticks; sprinkle with shredded Parmesan cheese. Place an almond slice on the tip of each. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm with marinara sauce.

Stellar-Cappuccino Chocolate Ice Cream

One of the rewards for being a Foodbuzz featured publisher is being a taste tester. We get the awesome opportunity to taste new products and review them. So I give you a BIG thank-you for giving me the delicious chance to sample illy issimo. I enjoyed Caffe - Italian Espresso Style Coffee Drink, Latte Macchiato - Italian Espresso Style Coffee Drink, and Cappuccino - Italian Espresso Style Coffee Drink.

They are all delicious, straight from the refrigerator. But the Cappuccino, incorporated into a chocolate ice cream recipe, is amazing!!! This is, without question, the absolute best chocolate ice cream I have ever eaten. And I certainly have eaten enough to guarantee that the previous statement is statistically accurate. Smooth, creamy, and the most intense chocolate and coffee flavor you will ever find in an ice cream.

Makes about 1 quart

2 cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
5 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
1 cup illy issimo Cappuccino - Italian Espresso Style Coffee Drink
¾ cup granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
5 large egg yolks
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Warm 1 cup of the cream with the cocoa powder in a medium saucepan, whisking to thoroughly blend the cocoa. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer at a very low boil for 30 seconds, whisking constantly. Remove from the heat and add the chopped chocolate, stirring until smooth. Then stir in the remaining 1 cup cream. Pour the mixture into a large bowl, scraping the saucepan as thoroughly as possible, and set a mesh strainer on top of the bowl.

2. Warm the cappuccino, sugar, and salt in the same saucepan. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolk. Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

3. Stir the mixture constantly over the medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula (170°F on an instant-read thermometer). Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the chocolate mixture until smooth, then stir in the vanilla. Stir until cool over an ice bath.

4. Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. (If the cold mixture is too thick to pour into your machine, whisk it vigorously to thin it out.)

Candy Corn Cheesecake

I made this pretty cheesecake because last Friday, Pap and I walked an 8 acre corn maze. Believe it or not, this was our very first time for this kind of entertainment. And for some weird reason, I was expecting an adventure. Sadly, that wasn't the case. I was secretly hoping we would become lost, then we could use our Harry Potter wands and send up a red flare.

Even though this corn maze is quite amazing from the air, it's quite boring on the ground. If you've seen one wall of corn stalks, you've seen them all. And Pap is quite the navigator. From start to finish, we trudged along on the hard packed earth, traveling through the twists and turns and it only took us 24 minutes.

Ingredients:
2 cups finely crushed chocolate cream filled sandwich cookies
1/4 cup butter, melted
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 (8 ounce) package mascarpone cheese, softened
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
1-1/2 cups honey
1-1/2 cups sugar
6 large eggs
1/3 cup all-=purpose flour
1 cup heavy whipping cream, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
24 drops yellow food coloring, divided
8 drops red food coloring

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine cookie cribs and butter. Press into bottom of prepared pan. Bake for 12 minutes; remove from oven; cool.
2. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, mascarpone, and sour cream. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add honey and sugar; beat until combined. add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

3. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down sides of bowl, and beat until smooth. Reduce mixer speed to low. Add flour, 1/2 cup cream, and vanilla, beating until combined.

4. Divide batter into thirds, reserving one-third of batter white. In one bowl, add 12 drops of yellow food coloring, whisking until uniform in color. In another bowl, add remaining 12 drops of yellow and 8 drops of red, whisking until uniform in color. Pour yellow batter into prepared crust.

5. Bake for 35 minutes, or until set; remove from oven, and cool for 20 minutes. Pour orange batter onto yellow layer, and bake for 35 minutes, or until set; remove from oven, and cool for 20 minutes. Pour remaining untinted batter onto orange layer. Bake for 35 minutes, covering with tented aluminum foil halfway through baking time to prevent browning.

6. Remove from oven, and cool for 20 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Refrigerate for 24 hours. Gently run a knife around edge of pan to release sides. Carefully remove cheesecake form pan. In a medium bowl, whip remaining 1/2 cup cream at high speed until stiff peaks form; spread whipped cream over top of cheesecake.

Moogie's Catch A Man Spareribs

In this picture, I used pork chops.

This recipe seems to contain a magical ingredient that causes men to go gaga. Maybe it's the bewitching sauce or the unbelievable fork tender ribs. Could the mandatory huge portion of mashed potatoes served on the side have anything to do with the almost sensual grunts and groans emanating from their food packed bulging cheeks? Most definitely.

So if you want to make a man happy for the rest of his life, serve a heaping helping of this recipe.

Ingredients:
Country style pork ribs (2 packages) Brown in skillet on all sides. (For a leaner meat, I use boneless pork chops. They are equally delicious).
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup ketchup
1 cup water
1/4 cup vinegar
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon paprika

Directions:
Place browned ribs in baking pan; pour sauce over and around ribs. Cover with lid and bake in a 325 degree oven for about 2 hours.

Dangerous Peanut Butter Pie with Chocolate Ganache

I'm walking on the wild side and living dangerously. Just look at this recipe, it's clearly the work of an evil genius. I fought its pull to go over to the darkside, tooth and nail. But the lure was too strong and I finally gave in to its seduction. My advice to you, don't fight it. Just enjoy!

Ingredients for filling:
1 chocolate cookie crust (I used an Oreo pre-made crust)
1 cup cream cheese
2/3 cup smooth peanut butter
4 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup whipping cream

Ingredients for topping:
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup whipping cream

Directions for filling:
1. Using a stand mixer with a beater attachment, beat cream cheese, peanut butter, and sugar until blended.

2. Whip cream into very soft peaks. Fold whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture. Spoon filling into the cookie crust.

Directions for the topping:
1. In a pan, combine the sugar and 1/2 cup cream. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Lower heat immediately and simmer, without stirring, 5-6 minutes until slightly thick and pale yellow. Remove from heat and stir in butter and chocolate until melted. Let chocolate mixture cool slightly.

2. Pour the topping over pie and spread to cover completely and evenly. Chill, uncovered, about 1 hour until firm.

3. To decorate: pipe additional whipped cream.

Spinach with Roasted Butternut Squash, Bacon, Walnuts

Spinach with Roasted Butternut Squash, Bacon, Walnuts and Maple Vinaigrette

Notes: You can adjust the amount of ingredients according to your preference. I just eyeball the amounts. Increase the amount of dressing as needed, it keeps well, refrigerated, for a week or two. The salad is wonderful served while the squash and dressing are still warm, but it is perfectly fine at room temperature, too. Add dressing just before serving.

Ingredients for the Salad:
Fresh, washed baby spinach leaves, stems removed
Butternut squash, peeled and cut into cubes/dice (about 3/4-inch)
Slices of bacon, sliced crosswise into thin strips and fried until just crisp, drained
Handful of walnut pieces or halves, toasted
Olive Oil
Kosher or Sea Salt

Ingredients for Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup Pure Maple Syrup (no substitutes)
1/4 cup Sherry Vinegar (or Apple Cider Vinegar)*
1/2 cup Olive or Grapeseed oil (I use less; adjust to your own taste)
1/4 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400*(F), with rack in center of oven
Makes about 1/2 cup dressing

Directions for Salad:
1. Place diced butternut squash on rimmed baking sheet, toss with a tablespoon or two of olive oil to coat, then sprinkle lightly with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Roast in hot oven turning pieces once or twice until just tender but not mushy. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.

2. Arrange spinach leaves on platter or individual plates, sprinkle with roasted butternut squash, crispy bacon and walnut pieces.

3. Drizzle with Maple Vinaigrette, and offer additional freshly ground black pepper when serving.

Directions for Vinaigrette:
1. Place Maple syrup in a small pan, bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and allow syrup to reduce by about half.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the reduced maple syrup with the vinegar, whisk in the Dijon mustard, then whisk in the oil until mixture is emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Don't be stingy with the salt.

3. Alternately, shake ingredients in a small jar with a tight fitting lid, in the order indicated above. Or, blend in a small food processor or blender.

*Note Apple Cider Vinegar is generally stronger, so adjust amount accordingly.
Adapted from the Kitchen of Once Upon a Plate



Pumpkin Cornbread

I saw this recipe for pumpkin cornbread while browsing through Foodbuzz recipes.

Christina. from Sweet Pea's Kitchen summed it up just right, "Could it be? Pumpkin and corn bread together?! I just had to try it!"

My sentiments exactly, Christina, I also was compelled to make it.. And it is freaking delicious. For those cornbread traditionalists, beware, this is a tad different. It has a little sweetness from the brown sugar and the wonderful blend of pumpkin and spices. I love it!! It will make an excellent accompaniment to the fall salad that I'm making tomorrow.

Ingredients:
■1 cup flour
■1 tablespoon baking powder
■1 teaspoon kosher salt
■1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
■1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
■1/2 cup brown sugar
■1 cup cornmeal
■2 eggs
■1 cup pumpkin puree
■1/4 cup olive oil
■1 tablespoon molasses

Directions:
1.Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease an 8×8″ cake pan.

2.In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, spices, brown sugar, and cornmeal; set aside.

3.In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, lightly beat the eggs, and then stir in the pumpkin, oil, and molasses.

4.Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until combined, and then pour the batter into the pan, smoothing the top.

5.Bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean