Pots and Pins

Cherry Cream Cheese Desserts...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think we can all agree on one thing, nothing says Happy Valentine's Day like a new washer and dryer!!!  Unless it's a new vacuum!!!  How is it appliances know to die right before a holiday??  Over the years I've received a new refrigerator for Mother's Day, a lawn mower for our anniversary and even a furnace for my birthday!!  Lucky for me appliances are the mister's love language!

Valentine's Day is not even a Hallmark Holiday around here...although I do have to say the mister had me going the day before...he called me from Global Headquarters to ask if I wanted to run up to Northgate Mall with him and go to Alana Estate Jewelers...I had to check Called ID to make sure it was the mister I was talking to!  Never, in all the years and years of marriage to the mister, has he ever asked me to go to the mall, let alone a jewelry store!  I decided to play along, because I do love a good mystery!  The mister picked me up, it was a sunny day and I do believe everyone had left work early to go play in the sun as the traffic was worse than usual.  The mister, uncharacteristically,  was in a very cheery mood and he did not have one incident of road rage, even though it took us 1 1/2 hours to get to the mall.  And then I watched, with my own two eyes, as the mister willingly walked into the mall of his own free will.  It was a thing of beauty right there!  We made our way to the jewelry store, when he finally told me he had seen a TV commercial and that's how he knew about it and then the mister walked inside without seizing! There must have been a higher power at work because I was seeing things I'd never seen before...the mister asking the saleslady to show me pieces...asking me to try things on, joking with me about maybe I should by TWO!!  I had finally had all I could take...I mean, I KNOW the mister and he was either suffering from some sort of delusion or I was!  I was truly worried, so in my best Florence Nightengale voice I asked the mister if he was okay... when was the last time he had anything to eat...was he a quart low on fluids?  He assured me everything was fine but I wasn't buying it, or anything else, nope, my antennae were on high alert!  We left the jewelry store and the mister was on Cloud 9...and every jewelry shop we walked by he asked me if I wanted to go in and have a look...seriously unnerving!  We went to dinner, the mister could not have been more pleasant and I decided it was time for me get in the game so I told the mister that just him asking me to go to the mall, to a jewelry store was gift enough. 

The mister said, a very distinct sigh of relief, "Reeeeeeeally?  What are you up to?" 

Me:  "Me?  What am I up to?  What are YOU up to?"

The mister:  "I'm not up to anything, I was trying to be nice!"

Me:  "You're never nice!"

The mister:  "It's the new me.  I decided to be nice for a day."

Me:  "One whole day?  Then what,  you're back to your normal self?"

The mister"  "Yep, Happy Valentine's Day!"

True to form, the next day, Valentine's Day, the mister showed up at 8:00 at night with two boxes of cheap chocolates for Moi, his diabetic wife.  I asked he if was trying to kill me and he just laughed and then volunteered since it was so late the chocolates were two for one.  Aaaaaand the mister was back to his normal romantic self!

 

This very yummy dessert takes all of about 20 minutes to make.  Crushed graham crackers with melted butter and a little sugar, go into the bottom of the serving dish, making the 1st of this 3 layer dessert.   The 2nd layer is whipped up in a matter of minutes with cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk - I sense I am reeling you in here, yes?  The 3rd and final layer is the easiest, a tablespoon of canned  cherry pie filling is put on top or raspberry or blueberry or whatever makes your heart skip a beat!

Cherry Cream Cheese Dessert - Adapted From Melody Mellinger via Taste of Home

For the Crust:

3/4 cup crushed graham cracker crumbs (about 12 crackers)

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons butter, melted

For the Filling:

1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk

1/3 cup lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 can (21 oz.) cherry pie filling

In a Zip-lock style bag, combine the cracker crumbs, (I put the whole crackers into the bag and crush them, no mess) sugar and butter and your your hands to mix together.  Divide crumbs among 8 dessert dishes, about 4 rounded teaspoonfuls in each, press into bottom of dish.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth.  With mixer running on low, gradually add sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice and vanilla.  Mix until well incorporated.  Spoon 1/4 cup of the cream cheese mixture into each dish.  Top with a tablespoon of the cherry pie pilling.  Makes 8 desserts.

Since I do like celebrating Valentine's Day, with or without the mister, I invited some of my leeeeetle friends over to make Valentines and have some dessert...they loved sparkling punch with extra sugar cubes and edible glitter, the hot cocoa, which we call Sludge because it's so thick, was eaten with spoons while they swooned, and they loved the Fairy Bread, too!  Sugar cookies were enjoyed by all but the Cherry Cream Cheese desserts were the favorite...one little munchkin said, "I know I'm still a kid but I have an adult palette so I love this!"  Cute little creatures!  All things considered, not even Hallmark could have improved on this Valentine's Day! 

Cookie Butter Pretzel Mousse...

In the middle of a very busy day filled with bad news, I needed something fun...so I dropped everything and made Cookie Butter Pretzel Mousse.  It was either that or take drugs or drink or buy a one-way ticket...none of those ideas really seemed like good options but mousse is always a good choice.  I made mousse.  Not only did I make mousse, but I made and served it to my friends, without tasting the final product...oh, I tasted the mousse, amazing.  I tasted the whipped cream, divine.  But I didn't taste the pretzel topping because I know what pretzels taste like and I wanted to save that "bite" for when I could sit and savor it all.  My friends arrived, I served them the mousse, explained how it was made with Cookie Butter/Speculoos and told them how wonderful it was and as we all grabbed a spoon, my friend Julie said, "What is that I'm tasting, garlic?"  GARLIC?!?!?!  What the #&#!  There is NO garlic in the recipe...and then I realized what I had done...I grabbed the bag of Everything Pretzels...the ones covered with sesame seeds, onion, black pepper and GARLIC!!!  Godfrey!!!  It was, in a word, disgusting. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The minute my friends left I threw out the mousse, which no one ate. Then I set about making Cookie Butter Pretzel Mousse with Butter Pretzels.  I tasted every step along the way...salivating at the sweet/salty combination that I so dearly love and I'm quite certain has curative properties.  Because I felt cured.  After I had finished making my 2nd batch, I sat down, put my feet up and slowly ate and enjoyed every bite...practically licked the glass...and then I wrapped up those babies and delivered them to my friends so they would know what Cookie Butter Pretzel Mousse was supposed to taste like!!!

 

Cookie Butter Pretzel Mousse is unique and rather addictive...as in, make a double batch, you'll want seconds.   It's unique because it's made with Cookie Butter, also called Speculoos, which looks just like peanut butter, but instead of being made from peanuts, it's made from thin, very crunchy, caramelized Dutch/Belgian cookies.   Trader Joe's carries a really great tasting one and you can find Speculoos at most upscale grocery stores, or Amazon.  This dessert is quick and easy to make, takes about 30 minutes from start to finish, which, when you think about it is pretty amazing - 30 minutes to have a dessert that people will rave about...as long as you don't put garlic in it!  I made my 3rd batch of this mousse for a baby shower I hosted for a friend's daughter.  Smooth, sweet, crunchy, salty, buttery, creamy...seriously, it's got it all goin' on!  I'll give it a solid 5 on the Ol' Dang Meter, this one is dang, dang, dang, dang, dang good!

Cookie Butter Pretzel Mousse - Adapted From Kate Wood of The Wood and Spoon

For the Pretzel Crumb topping:

 

4 tablespoons butter, melted

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cup pretzels (You can use regular pretzels, sticks, or twists, but I really like Snyders Butter Snap Pretzels)

 

For the Mousse:

 

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup cookie butter/Speculoos

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped, divided

 

For the Whipped Cream:

 

 

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

 

Prepare the Pretzel Crumb Topping:  Put pretzels in a Zip-Lock style bag and roughly crush.  To the bag of pretzels, add the melted butter, brown sugar and salt and mix well by manipulating bag with your hands.  Set aside.

 

Prepare the Mousse:  In the bowl of an electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, mix the cream cheese and cookie butter/Speculoos, scraping down the sides as necessary, until smooth.  Add in the sugar and vanilla and beat until well combined.

 

Prepare the Whipped Cream:  In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form.  (This whipped cream is for the mousse, do not add the sugar or vanilla to this - yet.) Fold 1/3 of the whipped cream into the cookie butter, making sure no streaks are visible.  Once combined, fold in another 1/3 of the whipped cream, blending until no streaks are visible.  To the remaining whipped cream, add 1/4 cup powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla and beat until incorporated.  Set aside.

 

Assemble the Cookie Butter Pretzel Mousse Cups:  Using a Zip-Lock style bag, fill the bag with the mousse mixture, snip off a little bit of the corner (about 1/2-inch) and pipe the mousse into your serving dishes (little glass jars or glass ramekins are great to use to you can see all the different components).  Sprinkle a heaping tablespoon of the pretzel crumb topping over top of the mousse.  Top with a dollop of the sweetened whipped cream and if you have any pretzel topping left, sprinkle on top and serve. 

 

These can be stored, covered, in the fridge for up to 3 days but are best eaten right away as the pretzel crumbs will lose their crunch over time.  Do not use low fat or unsalted pretzels, you want the salt!  Also, avoid using large pretzel rods or nuggets, just stick with your basic salted pretzel or find Snyders Butter Snap Pretzels!

 

Thought I'd better show you some pics of the shower...it turned out really nice, at least, that's my humble opinion!  Along with the Cookie Butter Pretzel Mousse I served Bimini Key Lime Pie Shots and Meringues with Chocolate Ganache and raspberries.  We also had a cheese and crackers and fruit, for those people who have sworn off sugar...really, what is the point of living if you can't have sugar?!?!  I just don't get it and I'm diabetic!!! 

 

See my sweet little Rosie?  She is such a good little helper, anything that drops on the ground she happily cleans up for me!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We didn't play any games, they are so passe', no?  Instead, I made everyone decorate a onesie for the new mom-to-be.  They all turned out so cute!  The mister came home while the shower was going on, he looked into the dining room and saw the onesies across the window and said, "That better not be permanent."  Always quick with a clever comment...whatta guy!  I rather liked it! 

Does this wreath look creepy to you?  I was told by some neighborhood kids it was creepy...naked dolls tied to a wreath by the neck is creepy???  Oh whatever!  I was very proud when a friend said to me, "It looks like you!"  Yes, I suppose that sums me up nicely...naked dolls and binkies, with a bow. 

 

It does make me smile though... 

 

Wishing Brooke and Paul and very healthy and happy baby girl, that arrives on time!

 

Caramel Apple Rosettes...

Need an easy and impressive dessert this holiday season?  Then this will be it!  Easy to make, super impressive, as in your guests will want to take pictures of these before taking a bite and will only eat if you insist because they are so pretty!  And they are good and tasty!  What more could you want...someone to make them for you?  Your kids would love making these, so gather up your slaves sweet children, and have them roll you some rosettes, they will love it!

 

 

 

You will need Puff Pastry (found in the freezer section of your grocery store).  One package of pastry has two sheets inside; each sheet is already divided into thirds but you will stretch them into fourths.  You will get 8 apple rosettes from one package of pastry.  Whew!  That's a lot of math for me!  As you know, I'm left brain deficient, definitely from lack of use, but as I have proven every day of my life, all you need is a working right brain and a sincere apology on your lips!

 

I have made these several times in the last few months - once with homemade caramel sauce, when I had time to make it.  The other times I used a good caramel sauce I purchased at the store...it worked great and is a huge time saver!  Feel free to use a different flavor of preserves or maybe even cream cheese instead of preserves - whatever jingles your ornaments!  In the pictures you can see I used cream cheese, spread thinly on the pastry then sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon...delish!

 

 

 

Caramel Apple Rosettes - Adapted From Cooking With Manuela

1 package Puff Pastry, thawed according to package directions

4 large apples, any kind, I used Gala

juice of half a lemon

1 tablespoon flour, to sprinkle on counter to prevent pastry from sticking

1/2 cup of apricot preserves or apple jelly  (if you can find apple jelly, use it, if not, apricot is delicious)  OR  if you want to use cream cheese, you will need one 8 oz. package, softened

Cinnamon for sprinkling

Sugar for sprinkling

Caramel sauce for topping

powdered sugar for decorating       

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.   Using a muffin tin with 12 holes, spray 8 of the holes with cooking spray and fill the remaining 4 half way up with hot water, set aside.  (Filling the empty holes with water will act as a "bath" for the apples and help steam them as they bake so they are nice and soft.) Fill a large bowl with warm water and add the lemon juice.  Cut the apples in half, remove core and then cut the apples into thin slices, as thin as you can get them.  (Leave the peel on.)  Place the sliced apples into the lemon water, which will keep them from turning brown.  Microwave the apples in the lemon water for about 3 to 5 minutes, just to make them softer and easy to bend/roll.  When you remove from microwave, test an apple slice, it should be able to bend slightly without breaking, if not, nuke it a few more seconds!

Unwrap the puff pastry over a clean and lightly floured counter (or if you have a pastry cloth, use that).  Roll one sheet of dough slightly with a rolling pin, then cut into 4 equal strips.  Place preserves/jelly in a small bowl and microwave until warm and easier to spread.  Spread one tablespoon of preserves/jelly/cream cheese onto each strip of dough.  (Use both pieces of pastry so you will have 8 strips.)

Drain the apples.  Arrange apple slices on the dough, overlapping each slice and only covering half of the strip of dough (the other side gets folded up and over.)  Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar to taste.  Fold up the bottom part of the dough and starting at one end, carefully roll the dough, keeping the apple slices in place, with the apples sticking slightly beyond the dough. Place into a prepared regular muffin tin.  Sprinkle with additional cinnamon if desired. Carefully place muffin tin with the rosettes and hot water into oven and bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the apples are soft and the pastry is done all the way through and lightly browned.  (Check after 30 minutes to make sure the rosettes are not getting too brown on top, if they are, cover loosely with aluminum foil.)  Remove to cooling rack to cool to room temperature.  Drizzle with caramel sauce to taste then sprinkle with powdered sugar.  Makes 8 Apple Rosettes.

 

 

 

 

 

                          

Pumpkin Creme Brulee...

The mister and I have been married for as long as dirt has been on the Earth.  You would think, after all that time, the mister would know a few basic facts about me, like I don't eat eggs, I won't watch horror movies and most importantly, I have an irrational fear of sharks...which means I don't like water, bridges, boats, swimming pools with dark bottoms, get my drift?  I have been very vocal about this over the years so he KNOWS I will not ever go on a cruise...every week when we get the Viking Cruise brochure in the mail (everyone over a certain age must get those things!)  the mister knows to toss it immediately, ain't gonna happen.  When my parents and siblings/spouses went on a cruise I opted to babysit my nieces and nephews rather than go with them!  That's right, I volunteered to stay with 4 teenagers rather than go on a shark-bait-boat.   Boats + water = sharks, it's simple math.  So imagine my surprise this morning when the mister, in all seriousness, asked if I wanted to go on a whale watching cruise off the cost of Hawaii.  Time for more math...Boats + WARM water = Giant MAN-EATING GREAT WHITE SHARKS!  I just stared at him, mouth agape as he pleaded his case..."I know a guy who owns the whale watching tour company over there, he would show us a really great time, probably give us a personal tour and everything..."  translation:  we would be on a small vessel that would capsize us right into the mouths of hungry sharks never to be seen or heard from again.  Not wanting to sound like Regan in The Exorcist, I took a sip of my morning mocktail, composed myself and in my nicest take-your-next-wifey-on-an-open-water-whale-watching-tour-voice said, "What in the Sam Hill are you talking about?!  Go to work you crazy man and don't come home until that thought is banished from your head!"  Godfrey!  It's so tiresome being the ONLY normal one in this house!

 

 Several years ago I clipped a newspaper recipe and stuck it in my "to make" pile.  As Autumn would roll around each year, I looked at this recipe, trying to find a good enough reason to make it...it seemed too fancy to make for an every day dessert and it would be a waste to make for Thanksgiving because that's all about PIE!  Finally, hosting my book club gave me an excuse to make this wonderful, silky smooth, richly decadent, subtly-spiced dessert...it's a keeper and while it won't make our T-Day table, it will definitely make a couple of appearances before the Fat Lady sings!

Like I said above, this is subtly-spiced...don't think of this as another version of pumpkin pie, it's not.  It has just a hint of pumpkin, and a pinch of nutmeg, cloves, ginger and cinnamon, just enough to give you a taste of the season and it definitely allows for a few Mmmmmmms.  This can be made a day ahead, or if you want to make it and serve it the same day, make sure you allow for at least two hours of time in the fridge for the brulee to cool.  Don't be an idiot like me and wait years to make this - make it this holiday season, you'll thank me!

Pumpkin Creme Brulee - From The Seattle Times Newspaper, 1997

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1/2 cup whole milk

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

2 pinches nutmeg

1 pinch ginger

1 pinch ground cloves

4 egg yolks

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree

Topping:  1/3 cup coarse sugar or raw sugar, but you can use regular ol' sugar

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  In a medium saucepan, heat the cream, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves over medium heat, stirring occasionally, just until it comes to a boil. Immediately turn off the heat and set aside to infuse at least 15 minutes.

 

In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the granulated sugar. Whisking constantly, whisk in the pumpkin puree and then the hot cream mixture.   Pour the mixture into 4 ovenproof ramekins and arrange in a hot water bath.  (Put ramekins into a large baking dish with side, like a roaster or a 9 x 13-inch baking pan and pour hot water into the bottom of the pan until it comes about half way up the sides of the ramekins.)

 

Bake in the center of the oven until almost set but still a bit soft in the center, 30 to 40 minutes. The custard should "shimmy" a bit when you shake the pan; it will firm up more as it cools. Remove from the water bath and let cool 15 minutes. Tightly cover each ramekin with plastic wrap, making sure the plastic does not touch the surface of the custard. Refrigerate at least 2 hours, and up to 24 hours.

When ready to serve, preheat a broiler to very hot (or fire up your kitchen torch). Uncover the chilled custards. Pour as much coarse sugar as will fit onto the top of 1 of the custards. Pour off the remaining sugar onto the next custard. Repeat until all the custards are coated. Discard any remaining sugar. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet or in a roasting pan and broil until the sugar is melted and well browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Let cool 1 minute before serving.  Top with a dollop of whipped cream, if desired and a ginger cookie.  This recipe makes 4 generous servings.

Our book club members go to great lengths to try to match the book with the food...the book we read was The Rent Collector, which is set in a dump in Cambodia.  (I loved this book and highly recommend it!)  I toyed with the idea of spreading garbage all over the driveway and the walkway up to our dump, but after the party was over, I'd have to pick up the trash...not really my forte.  While the characters in the book ate snails and rice and whatever else they could scavenge, I just couldn't bring myself to do that to people I care about...so I ignored the theme...It's Fall, Thanksgiving is just around the corner, so I went with that...I don't think they minded one bit!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Goober (Peanut) Pie...

What a week it's been!  Sick in bed, rainy and cold outside and then sheer heartache hit...our Max was taken to Primary Children's Hospital with the H1N1Flu Virus!!!  He was so very ill and all we could do was pray, hope and beg he would get well soon.  Four very long days later he was able to go home!!  He is doing his best to drink lots of liquids, and he's trying to eat (he is SO skinny) and now he has some serious video watching to catch up on! I can tell you, it's bad when your kids are down and out with illness or troubles but that is nothing compared to having a grandchild be sick!  I was a wreck! 

As my mom would say, that boy is pale and wan!  I could fatten him up in no time if he was here!  And now that I've broached that subject, let's move on to Goober Pie...yes, it is fattening, but you only need a small slice because it is so rich and didn't someone say peanuts are healthy!??   So there's that!

I made this pie for my book club - we had a Southern themed dinner to go with our book.  Actually we had two books, To Kill A Mockingbird and Go Set A Watchman, said to be Harper Lee's newest...or is it??  We all love To Kill A Mockingbird, probably one of my top five books (and everyone else) but Watchman????  Nope, not even close, save yourself the time, it's horribly written and edited - total waste of paper and ink.  But, having said that, reading the book did lead to a great discussion (not about the book) and a wonderful evening of Southern food...ending with this pie, so I suppose the book has some value!

Peanuts are sometimes called Goobers in the South...and this pie is about as Southern as you can get.  It's kind of like a Pecan Pie, in texture, but has a definite molasses flavor that may seem a bit strong at first bite but give it a second and it will grow on you.  Before you know it you'll have eaten your wee slice and will be back for more!  This is especially good with vanilla ice cream and/or whipped cream...it's a keeper, and a 5 Danger - it's dang, dang, dang, dang, dang good!

 

 

 

Goober Pie comes together in no time but it takes an hour to bake and when you remove it from the oven it will be this luscious caramelized color - just let it cool to room temp and you can cut into it with wild abandon!

Goober (Peanut) Pie - Adapted from My Mother's Southern Entertaining by James Villas with Martha Pearl Villas (One of the best Southern cookbooks ever!)

4 large eggs

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup Karo light corn syrup

1/2 cup molasses

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 teaspoon all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2 cup roasted peanuts, (lightly salted okay) roughly chopped

1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust (store bought or homemade, I use this recipe here)

Whipped cream or ice cream, optional, but why not?

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs with an electric mixer till frothy, then add the sugar, corn syrup, molasses, melted butter, flour, cinnamon, salt and vanilla and beat till well blended and smooth.  Add the peanuts and stir till the nuts are evenly distributed.  Scrape the mixture into the pie shell and bake till the filling is just soft in the center and the crust is golden brown, 50 to 60 minutes.  Cool the pie completely on a wire rack and serve at room temperature with dollops of whipped cream or ice cream, if desired.  Makes one 9-inch pie, serves 8.

 

Nanaimo Bars...

If you've never had a Nanaimo Bar, you are missing out on one of life's greatest delights, and a few hundred calories, but those calories are totally worth eating.  The mister and I spent last weekend in Victoria, BC and we worked diligently, in the name of research, to find the best tasting Nanaimo Bar in all of British Columbia because that's where they supposedly originated.  I say supposedly because there are numerous recipes, with names like Chocolate Slice, Dirt Candy, Mabel's Squares and London Fog Bars that have almost the exact ingredients but originated in various cities around the globe!  There is nothing new under the sun when it comes to desserts!  Also in the name of research, I made several different recipes trying to duplicate the best tasting Nanaimo Bar we had, the one from Granville Island Market was the best and I did this for you, me and my posterity, because going through life without Nanaimo Bars is just cruel. 

 

 

 

 

 

We crossed the border at Blaine, WA, which is about a two hour drive from our house.  The Peace Arch Park at the border is beautiful, it's on the American side and there were a lot of kids running around while one of their parents sat in their car and inched their way forward to the gates...it was a long wait at the border!  Once we had crossed onto foreign land, we headed straight for the Tsawwassen Ferry which took us to Vancouver Island.  It was a beautiful day - and we sailed around islands and in between islands to get to Victoria, which I have learned, is the 8th largest island in the world and Canada's 2nd largest island and it's slightly larger than Great Britain!  That's all the schooling I'm going to do today, so sit back and relax.

 

 

 

 

 

We played tourists in Victoria - walked around the harbor, strolled the beautiful grounds of the Empress Hotel and went in and out of every tourist shop, where we conversed with the Canucks behind the counters in their native tongue, eh?

Victoria is full of tourists - and we ran into dozens and dozens of groups of Japanese students everywhere we went.  The mister wanted to know why so many of them were carrying golf clubs...I told him they weren't golf clubs but selfie sticks and we stopped and watched several of them pose - then I showed the mister how easy it is to photobomb - and we amused ourselves by walking discreetly behind various groups of posed and oblivious students while staring into their cameras...it's the little things, I tell ya...the couple that photobombs together, stays together...feel free to quote me.  We explored China Town, spent way too much time and $$$ in Rogers Chocolates and had dinner in a great Irish Pub called Irish Times, where I almost ordered the most popular Canadian dish there is, Poutine, but after gobs of chocolate I just couldn't justify eating French fires smothered in gravy and cheese curds. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The reason we went to Victoria was so the mister could see Butchart Gardens - it was on his Bucket List.  I had been to the Gardens 20 years before and know just how wonderful it is so I was all in favor of going again!  And the Gardens didn't disappoint!

Incredible. No other words for it, except maybe freakin' awesome incredible!  Everything was in bloom and so very beautiful...it was a bit depressing to realize everything in those gardens were plants that I have tried and failed to grow in my yard...in my next life I am going to have at least one green thumb! 

 

So let's talk Nanaimo Bars...three luscious layers of serious YUM.  The best bars had crusts with cocoa, coconut, crushed grahams, chopped almonds and held together with melted butter...several of the versions we tasted had one or more of those ingredients missing...so they were quickly dismissed as inferior.  The middle layer is a custard - not a frosting as some of the wannabe bars had...and the custard is made with Birds Custard Powder, which is available at World Market and, of course, in Canada!  You can't have a Nanaimo Bar without Birds Custard Powder...and I think that's a Canadian law.  By the way, there are all sorts of "interesting" laws in Canada - like in Ontario you can't yell, scream or whistle in certain cities and it's illegal to skinny dip, which makes sense because if you're going to skinny dip in the frigid tundra you're going to want to yell and scream!  It's also illegal to pretend to practice witchcraft anywhere in Canada so believe me, I kept my broom out of sight!  In British Columbia it is illegal to kill a Sasquatch, yes, that's a real law, which is so funny because who would ever be crazy enough to believe someone would want to kill a Sasquatch?!?!? 

 

 

Crust.  Filling.  Chocolate ganache topping.  Chocolate so  s m o o t h   your teeth will sink right through to the filling and crust without the chocolate cracking and falling all over the place.  I hate when that happens!   Real Nanaimo Bars don't crack when cut or eaten...so it's easy to detect an impostor, and/or cheap chocolate.  You're going to want to use the good stuff here...no waxy chocolate chips allowed!

 

 

The crust is pressed into an 8x8-inch pan to set - don't worry that the crust will be too thick and don't even think about using a bigger size pan!!  It's the ratio of crust to filling to topping that make Nanaimo Bars so great - so if you have a thinner crust, well, you'll be missing out and that would be a cryin' shame!  The crust takes about 10 minutes in the refrigerator to cool and while it's cooling, the custard filling is made - and it's so easy you won't believe it - no cooking, just blend with a mixer and it's ready to go!

 

 

 

Cream, butter, powdered sugar and Birds Custard Powder...I'm telling you straight, this stuff is lethal.  It's spread on top of the cooled crust and then popped back into the fridge for about 20 minutes.

 

When the filling is cold, the ganache, which has been cooled a bit, is poured over the top and then back into the fridge it goes for the final chill...be patient grasshopper, it doesn't take long before the Nanaimo Bars are set and ready to be cut.  This should go without saying but I'm going to say it anyway...this is a 5-Danger recipe.  Roll out that Dang Meter and ring it loud and clear, these are dang, dang, dang, dang, dang good and worthy of any weight gain/coma that might ensue.

Nanaimo Bars - Adapted from several recipes, including Canadian Living Magazine, Taste of Home and All Recipes.com

(Canadian Living Magazine recipe uses walnuts, not almonds.  Taste of Home recipe calls for vanilla pudding not Bird's Custard and allrecipes.com uses unsalted butter and no extra salt in the recipe.  Plus the directions on these recipes (and several others) left out one little but important thing - you have to temper the egg before adding it to the hot chocolate mixture or it will curdle!  Obviously I thought those things needed to be rectified!)

For the Crust:

1/2 cup salted butter

1/4 cup sugar

5 tablespoons cocoa

pinch of salt

1 egg, beaten

1 3/4 cups crushed graham crackers, (about 11 whole crackers)

1/2 cup finely chopped almonds

1 cup shredded coconut

For the Filling:

1/2 cup salted butter

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons heavy cream

2 tablespoons Birds Custard Powder

2 cups powdered sugar

For the Topping:

4 oz. good quality semi-sweet chocolate

2 teaspoons butter

3 tablespoons heavy cream

To make the crust:  In the top of a double boiler, combine 1/2 cup butter, white sugar, cocoa and pinch of salt.  Stir occasionally until melted and smooth.  In a small bowl, beat the egg.  Take about a tablespoon of the hot chocolate mixture and stir into the egg then repeat with another tablespoon of chocolate into the egg, to temper the egg.  Pour the egg mixture into the chocolate mixture and stir until thick, about 2 to 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and mix in the graham cracker crumbs, coconut and almonds until combined.  Press mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 8x8-inch pan.

Make the filling:  In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter, heavy cream and custard powder until fluffy.  Mix in the powdered sugar until smooth.  Spread over the bottom layer in the pan.  Put in refrigerator to chill until set, about 10 minutes.

Make the topping:  In the top of a double boiler, melt the chocolate with butter and cream over low heat.  Stir until smooth.  Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.  Spread over the chilled bars.  Return to the refrigerator until top is set, about 15 to 20 minutes.  Cut into squares, but cut small ones as they are very rich!  Makes 16 generous-sized bars.

 

 

 

 

 

Blackberry Granita...

The mister was telling me all about his aches and pains, an every day conversation, where he covers everything from his big toe, which hurts him when he walks, to his elbow, which hurts when he talks, apparently, because the mister never stops talking and his elbow never stops hurting.  I try so hard to listen, I really do, because I do care, it's just sometimes my mind drifts off and then he'll say something that will snap my head back into the game, for example:  "It started hurting in my scrotum."  Now there's a word one doesn't hear every day!  The mister had my full attention, and he was serious as a heart attack when, while pointing to his CHEST he said it again, "Right here, it hurts in this area, isn't this the scrotum?"  Look, I'm not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV, but I do know the difference between a STERNUM and a scrotum...I told the mister his new development was probably very serious and he should call the doctor immediately!!  I mean, if his scrotum has moved up into his STERNUM then we've got ourselves, at the very least, a Lifetime Movie!!!  Had myself a good laugh over this...all at the mister's expense, which made it even more funny.  He was not amused. 

 

 

On a hot summer night, nothing beats granita!  Nothing!  When the cold, fruity ice-crystals melt in your mouth with a burst of flavor - then you will know true happiness.  Amen.  Granita is easy to make, but it does take a bit of time to set - so plan ahead - you will need at least 4 hours for the granita to set.  You can make any kind of fruity granita you want, too, raspberry, strawberry, mango, lemon - you name it!  I chose blackberry because I had them on hand - and it was the best decision I made all week!

 

 

 

 

Once the simple syrup is made (by boiling sugar and water) it's just a matter of blending everything together - the syrup, lime juice and berries - that's it.  Even someone with his scrotum in his sternum can do this!  Then it's poured into a bread loaf pan and put into the freezer to set.

Ice cream, popsicles, Klondike bars and Granita...just part of a well-balanced diabetic freezer.  Every hour the Granita need to be stirred/scraped, creating the "shaved-ice" effect.  If you forget and your granita freezes solid before you can stir it, no worries, you can't screw this up, just let it stand at room temperature for 15 to 20, and then scrape it with a fork and all will be good to go!

 

 

This is de-WISH-us!  A 5-danger to be sure - it's cool, refreshing, full of flavor and when you're sitting on the deck on a hot summer night, it'll keep you from nodding off when someone is telling you about their aches and pains for the umpteenth time.  Promise.

Blackberry Granita - Pots and Pins

You will need a blender and a bread loaf pan.

2 cups fresh blackberries (you can use frozen)

1/2 cup fresh lime juice (you can use bottled, but fresh is best)

1 1/2 cups Simple Syrup

Simple Syrup:  In a small saucepan combine 1 1/2 cups water and 1 1/2 cups sugar.  Bring to a boil, stirring, and boil for one minute, making sure all sugar is dissolved.  Remove from heat and cool.

In a blender, combine blackberries, lime juice, one cup cold water and 1 1/2 cups simple syrup.  Process for 30 seconds or until smooth.  Pour into a bread loaf pan.  Freeze 4 to 5 hours or until ice crystals form, stirring every hour.  Serves about 6.

 

 

Root-beer Pie...

The mister is sick.  I assumed it was just a man cold but his doc told him he has pneumonia - again.  So our Memorial Day was pretty low key - I played Nurse Nightingale and waited on the mister hand and foot, because that's the kind of gal I am!  In between the trips to the pharmacy and fluffing pillows, replenishing juice, ice cream and getting new batteries for the remote, we still managed to kick-off Grilling Season in the traditional way with hamburgers, corn on the cob, baked beans, coleslaw and Root-beer Pie for dessert.  The boy and his bride came over and we scarfed up our all-American meal and tried to carry on a conversation between the mister's coughs.  We all ate too much...because we're all-American!

 

This pie is a breeze to make - thanks to a purchased graham-cracker crust, instant pudding and Cool-Whip.  The Cool-Whip has to thaw in the refrigerator for about 5 hours  before it can be used, and don't try to rush it by thawing on the counter-top and stirring, because the pie won't set up right - trust me - I tried!  If you love root-beer floats, then you will love this pie...because that's exactly what it taste like - an old-fashioned root-beer float!

 

 

 

After mixing the root-beer, milk, pudding and extract together, the Cool Whip is folded in and the dark root-beer colored mixture, pictured above, changes to a lighter caramel color.  The dark color is not from the root-beer itself but from root-beer extract, which has the texture and color of molasses and gives this pie an extra boost of flavor.  The creamy mixture is scooped into a graham crust, topped with more Cool Whip and put in the fridge to set. 

 

 

 

 

The making of this pie is less than ten minutes from start to finish, it's the perfect make-ahead summer dessert - it's cold, delicious and has a flavor that is all-American for your all-American BBQ's!

Root-Beer Pie - Pots and Pins

Start this pie the day before you need it.  Remove Cool Whip from freezer and let thaw in refrigerator for about 5 hours.  When Cool Whip is thawed, make pie and let set in refrigerator overnight.)

1 carton (8 oz.) Cool Whip, thawed

3/4 cup root-beer

1/2 cup whole milk

2 teaspoons root-beer extract

1 package (3.4 oz.) Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix

1 graham cracker crust, 9-inch

Serving suggestions:  Maraschino cherries for serving and root-beer flavored Jelly Beans

Set aside and refrigerate 1/2 cup Cool Whip to use to top the pie.  In a large bowl, whisk together root-beer, milk, pudding and extract for 2 minutes.  Fold in half of the remaining Cool Whip, spread into graham crust.  Spread remaining Cool Whip over pie and refrigerate overnight. 

To serve, use reserved 1/2 cup of Cool Whip to top the pie, by making dollops on top.  Chop up some root-beer flavored Jelly Beans (or leave whole) and sprinkle on top of pie, then top with Maraschino cherries, if desired.  Serves 8.

 

Strawberry-Rhubarb Bars...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

S'Mores Cake, Cinco de Mayo Salad, Court of Honor Eagle Cookies, Upside Down Rhubarb Cake, Bacon and Corn Queso, 65 Mother's Day Gifts...Whew!  It's been one event after another, and finally I managed to carve out a few hours with nothing to do, nowhere to go, and no one to talk to.  I read a book for a bit, thumbed through a magazine, turned on the TV, then decided I was just too bored...so I headed into the kitchen and made Strawberry-Rhubarb Bars!

 

 

 

 

This actually should be called a slab pie...because it's one giant slab of pie.  Every bit as good as pie, just not as messy and much faster to make.  Once the dough is made and refrigerated for an hour, it's rolled out to fit a 9x13-inch pan.  Yep, makes enough to feed a crowd!  But please make sure your crowd is worthy of flaky pastry that encases fresh strawberries and rhubarb with just enough brown sugar to make lip-smackin' sweet/tart bars!

 

 

 

 

I will be making these for Memorial Day - they are Holiday good!  And if I can still find rhubarb in July I'll be making these for our 4th festivities.  The bottom crust is baked before the filling goes in.  You can see in the pictures that I lined my pan with parchment paper.  I had planned to take the entire thing out of the pan and put onto a pretty serving plate, parchment paper would help me lift it out.  But I never got to the pretty plate part!  Once the bars were out of the oven, someone decided to have just a little taste and cut into them, that's all it took...they disappeared so fast there wasn't time to put them onto a pretty plate!

 

The top pastry is brushed with egg then sprinkled with Pearl Sugar - pretty, no?  Oh, if only you could have a little whiff - the aroma is heady - when this comes out of the oven, all bubbly and hot - it's enough to make one swoon!

Strawberry-Rhubarb Bars - Pastry Adapted from Food and Wine, May 2015, Filling from Pots and Pins

Pastry:

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

6 teaspoons sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

3 sticks plus 2 Tablespoons chilled butter, cut into tablespoons

3 large egg yolks

1/3 cup cold whole milk

baking spray

Filling:

4 cups rhubarb (about 5 to 6 large stalks) trimmed, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces

4 cups strawberries (about 2 lbs.) stems removed, sliced/quartered

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup Minute Tapioca

1Tablespoon lemon juice

1 Tablespoon corn starch

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 large egg, beaten

3 tablespoons Pearl Sugar, Turbinado Sugar or Sanding Sugar

Make the pastry:  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, combine the flour, sugar and salt and mix at low speed.  Add the butter and mix at medium speed until almost incorporated, with some pecan-size pieces remaining, about 1 minute.  In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the milk.  With the machine on, drizzle the egg mixture into the flour mixture and mix until the pastry just starts to come together, about 30 seconds:  it will be crumbly.  Scrape the pastry onto the lightly floured work surface and gather it together.  Gently knead the pastry two or three times, just to work in the butter a bit, but having bigger pieces of butter makes for a flakier crust so don't mash it all up!  Form the pastry into a 1-inch thick disk, cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.  Cut 1/3 of the pastry off the disk.  On a lightly floured surface, using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the smaller piece of pastry to a 9x13-inch rectangle; transfer to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and refrigerate.  Roll out the remaining piece of pastry into a 12x16-inch rectangle, about 1/4-inch thick.  (Set your baking dish on top of the pastry to get a good idea of how big to make it - you want the pastry to come up the sides.)  Ease the pastry into the prepared pan, pressing it into the corners and up the sides; trim the excess pastry, leaving no overhang.  Line the pastry with parchment paper and fill with pie weights.  Bake for about 30 minutes, until just pale golden and set.  Remove the pie weights and parchment paper, transfer the pan to a rack and let the crust cool completely. 

Make the filling:  In a large bowl, combine rhubarb, strawberries, sugars, lemon juice, tapioca, corn starch and salt.  Mix to coat.  Pour mixture into the cooled pie crust.  Dot the fruit with the butter pieces.  Cover the filling with the chilled 9x13-inch piece of pastry crust, gently pressing it down around the edges.   Brush the top of the pastry with the beaten egg and sprinkle with Pearl Sugar or Sanding Sugar.  Using a sharp knife, make six 2-inch long slits in the top pastry.  Bake for about 50 minutes, until the crust is deep golden.  Transfer the pan to a rack to cool, at least 3 hours.  Cut into bars, serves about 20. 

 

 

 

 

Raspberry Cheesecake...

Happy 4th of July!!

How can it already be July!?!  Godfrey!  Time is zipping at a break-neck pace!  The boy and his bride have invited us to their home for the 4th...they've also invited us to bring dinner...as in all of the dinner...potato salad, pasta salad, baked beans, corn on the cob, hot dogs, hamburgers, ribs (for him) and chicken (for his bride, as she doesn't eat meat)!  They could have come here but then they would have been antsy to leave so they could get back home to blow up the street with their neighbors.  It's easier on everyone (but me) to take the feast to them!

 

 

 

Making a cheesecake is easy - waiting for it to be cool and ready to eat is the hard part.  I have one other cheesecake recipe on my blog, a Blueberry Cheesecake, which is wonderful and even though it gave me fits the first time I made it, I've made it many times since and have loved it.  You can see that recipe by clicking here.

 

 

 

 

 

This cheesecake is different by leaps and bounds - different and better.  Better because it has more cream cheese and more eggs and two extra egg yolks so it's just plain richer.  Sad to say but my Blueberry Cheesecake days are behind me...this is the only cheesecake recipe from here on out for me!  Every July 4th I make mini-cheesecakes - it's been a family tradition for years and years...but this year I decided to make a wee change.  I told the mister we would not be having the mini-cheesecakes and he was not amused...but when I told him I would be making one giant cheesecake, his surliness disappeared and he had but one request, "Do we have to share it?"  

Well yes, yes we do, but not to worry, this baby will serve 12 to 15 pyromaniacs!  And it's easy.  Graham-cracker crust is a no-brainer...cracker crumbs, a bit of sugar and melted butter, all pressed onto the bottom of a springform pan.  If you use a 9-inch springform pan your cheesecake will be much taller than mine.  I have TWO 9-inch springform pans but I have the sides only...the bottoms are missing.  So I used a 10-inch springform pan and it worked great - it's just not as tall and impressive as the right size pan would have made...oh well.  Everything comes together in a mixer, then it's baked for 1 1/2 hours...and then the waiting begins.  The cheesecake needs to sit for about another 2 to 3 hours and then it goes into the refrigerator for at least 4 hours (even better if it's in there overnight) before it's ready to serve.  It's SO HARD TO WAIT!  But SO WORTH IT!  Yes, I'm screaming...I'm screaming at the top of my lungs...MAKE THIS!  YOU WON'T BE SORRY!  This one is truly worth 5 full dangs on the Dang Meter...it's dang, dang, dang, dang, dang good!!!  And look, if you don't like raspberries, use strawberries or blueberries or blackberries or go naked...naked cheesecake...who's going to report you?!?

Raspberry Cheesecake - From my Younger Sister Who Looks Older Than Me, Joni Geurts

Needed:  One 9-inch Springform Pan 

For the crust:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (10 crackers)

1 tablespoon sugar

6 tablespoons butter, melted

For the filling:

2 1/2 lbs. cream cheese, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

5 whole extra-large eggs, at room temperature

2 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature

1/4 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon raspberry extract

For the topping:

1 cup seedless raspberry jelly

2 pints fresh raspberries

(Since it this is our 4th of July dessert I added the blueberries - nothing beats a patriotic cheesecake!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  To make the crust:  combine the graham crackers, sugar and melted butter until moistened.  Pour into a 9-inch springform pan.  Press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan and about 1-inch up the sides.  Bake for 8 minutes.  Remove and allow to cool to room temperature.

Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees.  Make the filling:  Cream the cream cheese and sugar in a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.  Reduce the speed of the mixer to medium and add the eggs and egg yolks, 2 at a time, mixing well.  Scrape down the bowl and beater, as necessary.  With mixer on low, add the sour cream, lemon zest and vanilla.  Mix thoroughly and pour into cooled crust.  Set on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any  leaks (I've never had one leak yet but I figure it's better to be safe.)

Bake for 15 minutes at 450 degrees then turn oven temperature down to 225 degrees and bake for another 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Turn the oven off and open the door wide. The cake will not be completely set in the center - that's normal.  Allow the cake to sit in the oven with the door open for 30 minutes.  Take the cake out of the oven and allow it to sit at room temperature for another 2 to 3 hours, until completely cooled.  Wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight before serving. 

Remove the cheesecake from the springform pan by carefully running a hot knife around the outside of the cake.  Leave the cake on the bottom of the springform pan for serving.  (Heat a knife by running it under hot water for a few seconds, then dry with a paper towel.)

To make the topping:  melt the jelly in a small pan over low heat, just until all lumps are gone, do not boil.  Remove from heat and pour the warm jelly over the fresh raspberries and toss gently.  The heat from the jelly will bring out the sugars in the berries - making them super sweet!  Arrange berries on top of cheesecake.   Refrigerate until ready to serve.