From : chilipeppercooks.com

Wet Battered Fried Chicken

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs chicken wings
• 6 tbsp onion puree
• 4 tbsp garlic paste
• 1 egg white
• Thai Chili Peppers (to taste)

Seasoning Mix

• 1 tbsp Kashmiri powder or hot paprika
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1.5 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp ginger powder
• 2.5 tsp salt

For Coating

• 1 cup potato starch
• 1/4 cup corn starch
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 cup water (or more if needed)

For Frying

• Oil for frying
• Curry leaves
• Crushed whole garlic

Directions

Blend Onion

In a blender, blend the onion until it forms a smooth paste.

Mix Ingredients

In a large bowl, combine the chicken wings, onion puree, garlic paste, egg white, and chopped Thai chili peppers.

Add Seasoning Mix

Slowly add the seasoning mix to the chicken mixture, stirring well to combine.

Add Coating

Add the potato starch, corn starch, and baking powder to the chicken mixture. Gradually add 1/4 cup of water, or more if needed, to achieve a thick pancake batter-like consistency. Let the batter rest for 30 minutes.

Infuse Oil

Heat oil in a frying pan to 315 degrees F (160 degrees C). Add curry leaves and whole garlic to infuse the oil for a minute. Before adding the garlic cloves slightly break open each clove. It release the aromatic oils and flavors locked within the garlic.

Coat the Chicken

Coat each chicken wing generously with the batter, making sure to pick up as much batter as possible.

Frying

Carefully place the coated chicken wings into the hot oil, allowing them to sink to the bottom of the pan. After about 45 seconds, gently flip the chicken wings using a spatula to ensure even cooking and to prevent burning on one side. Fry the chicken wings until they are golden brown and crispy, about 8-10 minutes, depending on the size of the wings.

Serve and Enjoy

Once cooked, remove the chicken wings from the oil and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess oil. Serve the hot and crispy garlic onion fried chicken over a bed of fried curry leaves and crushed garlic. Enjoy immediately

Fathead Rolls

• 2 oz cream cheese
• 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1 egg beaten
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/3 cup almond flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°
2. In a small bowl, add cream cheese and mozzarella. Microwave on high for 20 seconds at a time until melted.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk egg until beaten. Add dry ingredients and mix well.
4. Work mozzarella/cc mixture into dough. Dough will be sticky. Stir in cheddar cheese. 
5. Spoon dough onto plastic wrap. Dust the top of it with almond flour.
6. Fold the plastic wrap over the dough and gently start working into a ball.
7. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes. 
8. Cut dough ball into 4. Roll each section into a ball. Cut the ball in half. This is your top and bottom bun 
9. Sit cut side down on parchment paper or very well greased sheet pan.
10. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden and set up.

Gluten Free Stuffed Mushrooms

https://paleoleap.com/sausage-stuffed-mushrooms/

I added a bit of Romano and Pecarino.

Reduced Sugar Strawberry Jam

https://www.theflavorbender.com/homemade-strawberry-jam-reduced-sugar/

Have obscene amounts of strawberries? Make jam.

Keto Bacon Scones

https://jenniferbanz.com/keto-scones-with-bacon

Great recipe.

I used 5 yolks to test for a friend who is allergic to egg whites instead of 2 whole eggs.

Gramma B's Italian Bean Soup

Jesse, I sent this to my sister.  You may want to try it.  Good, healthy, filling and old world Italian soup.

OK Pam,  I'll put in quotes mom's exact words.  

You take a piece of "2X2 inch piece of salt pork. Get a package with no meat." You want only the white fat.  Cut off the heavy skin and meat.  I don't know if she meant 2X2X2 so I use a goodly amount.  The soup does taste so much better with a goodly amount of pork fat.  DON'T use fat back.  You want to begin by "slicing it tissue thin along with two or three cloves of garlic and a couple sprigs of fresh parsley."

I cut my salt pork paper thin along with two good size sprigs of parsley (throw away the stems) and three small cloves of garlic and cut them into a paste.  Cut, chop, and mince everything into a paste.   Mom said to use, "a heavy knife under hot water,"  Heat up the knife so the salt pork doesn't stick to the knife.  "Cut and pound everything into mush."  Keep folding over the fat until its paste. Its easier to cut if the salt pork is frozen.  

"Saute it in a heavy pot. Mix it with a fork melting it."   I add two tabs of butter and melt everything together. DON"T burn the garlic so melt the base slowly.  

"Before I saute the salt pork paste I dice up two carrots, one large or two small potatoes and a stalk of celery "    I make sure nothing is to large so that some potato, carrot, celery a bean can all fit on the spoon.  Like mom said, " You have to show the love."  Yup, that was deep for mom.  

After the paste is melted I add my vegetables and stir them into the paste coating them completely and letting them sizzle in the fat for a few minutes locking in the flavor.

"Put in 1 1/2 pints (I use three cups) of water."  "Add a little less than a table spoon of tomato paste. Our people didn't like to use a lot of tomato paste. That's more of a Southern Italian way of cooking."

"Put in salt to taste."  Start with a heaping teaspoon and add from there.  It you think the broth is too salty, remember that the rice will absorb the salty taste.   

"When the vegetables are soft, about thirty/forty minutes in a slow boil, when you're ready to eat, add a can of Stewart kidney beans." The celery seems to take the longest to soften.  I use a can of light red kidney beans but God forbid there not Stewart kidney beans.  "Make sure you rinse them good and then add and heat them in your soup for a few minutes."

Mom hollered at me when I asked her about using rice that looked like little H's because she couldn't remember using rice with potato in a soup.  Mom then said the rice was overcooked which was why it looked like little H's.     I boil a half cup of Uncle Ben's white rice. This turns into a full cup of cooked rice. Just follow the directions on the rice package.  It's just a filler for a growing family.  Keep the rice separate for left overs otherwise the rice will soak up all the broth.   

I put a couple soup spoons of rice in my bowl then ladle in the soup.  Parmigiana cheese on top.  Yes, I will get a fresh loaf of Vienna Bread even though everyone else calls it Italian bread and don't know what I'm talking about when I ask.  Good luck Pam.  I make this for Deb at least once every three weeks.  We always salute mom with a glass of red. 😥

Gramma B's Stuffed Cabbage

1 Winter Cabbage:

Put cabbage in a pot of boiling water root side down for about 5 minutes.

When the leaves are pliable cut or pull the leaves from the core and use a sharp knife to thin down the stem of the leaf.

Meat: 

1 lbs 85 percent lean

1/2 lbs ground pork

1/2 lbs veal, less than 30 percent fat

Mix meat together. Don't over work the meat

Mix in

1 teaspoon salt (taste raw meat for proper salt content)

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 clove garlic diced fine

1 egg large

1/2 cup white River Rice.  Cook rise for 12 minutes

Place stem of cabbage leaf toward you and place a clump of meat on leaf. Roll leaf tightly tucking in the edges. Insure equal clumps of meat for even cooking.  Place in pot with a few inches of water. The open end facing down.  Chop up left over cabbage and place over 1st row of stuffed cabbage. Take 4 whole pealed Roma tomatoes and hand crush them over the stuffed cabbage   Place the next layer of stuffed cabbage and again cover with chopped cabbage and crushed tomatoes.   

1 tablespoon tomato paste

Fill pot with water to about two inches from top. The top layer of stuffed cabbage is not submerged.  Bring to a medium boil for 1 1/4 hours.  When water begins to boil add one tablespoon of tomato paste.    Throughout cooking time periodically push down top layer into boiling broth.

1 can of Cento whole pealed tomatoes 14 ounce

This is a recipe for approximately 12 cabbage rolls and is doubled up for frozen leftovers.

Edit: As an addendum add cauliflower rice to the mix.

In a pinch, if you can't get veal, a meatball mix works as well.

Pioneer Woman Green Bean Casserole

https://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/green-bean-casserole/

Blueberry Muffins

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 cup white sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/3 cup vegetable oil 1 egg

1/3 cup milk 1 cup fresh blueberries 1/2 cup white sugar 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup butter, cubed 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.
2.	Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.
3.	To Make Crumb Topping: Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.
4.	Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2012 Allrecipes.com

Printed fromAllrecipes.com2/5/2012

Some things i do different:

Crumb topping:

3T butter

1/4 c flour

2/3 c brown sugar

1/4 t cinnamon

Cut the butter into sugar and flour until you get a crumb texture.  Enough crumb for 3 batches.

Coat the blueberries in a bit of flour so they don't fall to the bottom of your muffins.

I only use liners.  No grease.

Soft boiled eggs

My newest thing lately has been soft boiled eggs.

There is something so satisfying in the act of making and consuming a soft boiled egg. It is certainly faster to fry up an egg but it has become to me the most elegant and tasty ways to cook an egg. It requires no butter or oil; just a pot of boiling water. Its form remains in tact until you delve your spoon into its core to reveal its rich center perfectly equal in textures, firm and creamy.

Its elegance, to me, harkens to 18th century England. Haha perhaps I like Jane Austen a bit tooo much! The middle and upper class being served a soft boiled egg in a dainty egg cup along with crusty toast and a variety of fruits. I am enamored with the entire period in general or perhaps it is really the idea that meals are thoroughly enjoyed lesiurely and formally.

Bring a pot of water to boil.
Pierce egg with a pin.
Place egg into water with a slotted spoon.
Set the timer to 4 1/2 minutes.

The Gobbler

The Black Seal in Essex used to have the most delicious sandwich and about a year ago they decided to take it off their menu! sobs...

Fortunately for me they still have the description on their website.  I will have to recreate at home!

GOBBLER (via)
An open faced sandwich consisting of sliced roasted turkey over wheat bread with tomato, bacon, Russian dressing & melted swiss cheese.

You can't eat this thing without a knife and fork!  drooool

And of course... russian dressing from scratch:

RUSSIAN DRESSING (via)

1 1/2 C. Mayonnaise
1/2 C. sour cream
2/3 C. chili sauce (this is a condiment typically sold near cocktail sauce)
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. minced dill pickle
1 Tbsp. minced green pepper
2 Tbsp. minced green onion
4 tsp. fine grated fresh horseradish or drained bottled horseradish
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. Tobasco
2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. minced parsley
Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Blend until thoroughly mixed, but do not over blend. Refrigerate in a covered jar until serving time. Stir before using.

Sugar cookies

The Best Rolled Sugar Cookies
 

Rated:
Submitted By: Jill Saunders
Photo By: soccermomma
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 8 Minutes
Ready In: 3 Hours
Servings: 60
"Whenever you make these cookies for someone, be sure to bring along several copies of the recipe! You will be asked for it, I promise!!!"
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2011 Allrecipes.com Printed from Allrecipes.com 4/17/2011



We're using this recipe for our first Easter cookies. We've already bought tin cutters in all sorts of Easter shapes from Target. Can't wait to get started!

Gingerbread Cookies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

Makes 16 cookies .

• 6 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1 cup packed dark-brown sugar
• 4 teaspoons ground ginger
• 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon finely ground pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup unsulfured molasses
• Royal Icing
• Fine sanding sugar, for sprinkling

Directions

1. Sift together flour, baking soda, and baking powder into a large bowl. Set aside.
2. Put butter and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until fluffy. Mix in spices and salt, then eggs and molasses. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Divide dough into thirds; wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out dough on a lightly floured work surface to a 1/4-inch thick. Cut into snowflakes with a 7- inch snowflake-shape cookie cutter. Space 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper, and refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.
4. Bake cookies until crisp but not dark, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.
5. Put icing in a pastry bag fitted with a small plain round tip (such as Ateco #7). Pipe designs on snowflakes; immediately sprinkle with sanding sugar. Let stand 5 minutes; tap off excess sugar. Let icing set completely at room temperature, about 1 hour. Store cookies between layers of parchment in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days.

First published   

Copyright 2010 Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Gingerbread House

Adapted by Food Network from a recipe courtesy of Beatrice Ojakangas

Prep Time:

1 hr 15 min

Inactive Prep Time:

--

Cook Time:

15 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

One recipe of dough makes one

Ingredients

1 cup butter, room temperature [226g]
1 cup brown sugar, well packed [220g]
2 tablespoons cinnamon
4 teaspoons ground ginger
3 teaspoons ground cloves
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ cup boiling water
5 cups all-purpose flour [875g]

For assemblage and decoration:

• Melted white chocolate or Royal Icing (recipe follows)
• Gumdrops, licorice and peppermint, as desired

Directions

Gingerbread House:

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar, molasses, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and baking soda together until the mixture is smooth. Blend in the flour and water to make a stiff dough. Chill at least 30 minutes or until firm.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cut paper patterns for the gingerbread house:

Two rectangles (figs. A and B), 3 by 5 inches, to make the front and back of the house. Two rectangles (figs. C and D), 3 by 5 1/2 inches for the roof. Two pieces for the ends of the house (figs. E and F), 3 inches wide at the base, 3 inches to the roof line, and slanted to a peak 5 1/2 inches from the bottom. Four smaller rectangles (figs. G, H, I, and J), 1 1/2 by 1 inch for the roof and sides of the entryway. And one piece (fig. K), 2 inches wide at the base, 1 1/2 inches to the roof line, and slanted to a peak 2 1/2 inches from the bottom for the front of the entryway.

Roll gingerbread dough out to edges on a large, rimless cookie sheet. Place paper patterns onto the rolled out dough. With a sharp, straight edged knife, cut around each of the pieces, but leave pieces in place.

Bake at 375 degrees F for about 15 minutes until dough feels firm.

Place patterns on top of the gingerbread again and trim shapes, cutting edges with a straight-edged sharp knife. Leave to cool on baking sheet.

Place royal icing into pastry bag with a writing tip and press out to decorate individual parts of house, piping on decorations, windows, door, etc., as desired. Let dry until hardened.

Glue sides, front and back of house together at corners using royal icing. Place an object against the pieces to prop up until icing is dry (it only takes a few minutes).

Glue the two roof pieces to the pitched roofline of the house. Then, similarly, glue the sides and roof of the entryway together with icing. Attach the entryway to the front of the house.

Continue decorating the house, glueing on gumdrops, licorice and peppermint, as desired.

Royal Icing:

• 1 pound (3-3/4 cups) powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy
• 1 to 2 large egg whites, or substitute 4 teaspoons packaged egg whites and 1/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon almond extract, vanilla or lemon juice

Mix all of the ingredients together using an electric hand mixer, until the icing is smooth and thin enough to be pressed through a pastry bag with a writing tip. Add more lemon juice, if necessary.


http://images.marthastewart.com/images/content/web/pdfs/2009Q4/ms_hol09_swedish_gingerbread_house_temp.pdf

Shortbread

Made basic shortbread last Christmas for the first time.  What I love about shortbread is it keeps for THREE weeks.  I'll have to dip some in melted dark chocolate this year like the photo above.  It's really yummy with coffee and it only takes one square to satisfy a sweet craving.  With all that butter, it's definitely rich!

 

Ingredients

Publish Post

Makes 8 to 10 wedges

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/2 cup confectioners' or granulated sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter an 8 1/2-inch round cake or springform pan. Sift together flour and salt in a small bowl. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium, cream butter until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add sugar, and continue to beat until very light in color and fluffy, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary, about 2 minutes more. Add flour mixture, and beat on low, scraping bowl if necessary, until flour is just incorporated and dough sticks together when squeezed.
2. Pat dough into prepared pan. Use a paring knife to score dough into wedges; prick all over in even intervals with a wooden skewer or fork.
3. Bake until firm in the center and just starting to color, about 50 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack, and let cool completely. Cut into wedges. Cookies will keep, in an airtight container, at room temperature 3 weeks.

From The Martha Stewart Show, December 2008

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Basic Shortbread - Martha Stewart Recipes

Cheddar Topped Sheperd's Pie

Made this several times last winter.  Cheap, easy, and a great comfort food. 

 I think original cottage pie, later known as shepherd's pie, was made of minced lamb or mutton.

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 2 pounds baking potatoes (about 4), peeled and thinly sliced
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, such as safflower
• 6 medium carrots, halved lengthwise, quartered if large, and thinly sliced
• 6 celery stalks, thinly sliced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 2 pounds ground beef chuck
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp white cheddar (6 ounces)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450. Place potatoes in a large saucepan, and cover by 1 inch with salted water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are easily pierced with the tip of a paring knife, 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high. Add carrots, celery, onion, and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add flour and tomato paste; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add beef; cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink, 6 to 8 minutes. Add 1 cup water; bring to a boil, and simmer 1 minute. Set beef filling aside.
3. Drain potatoes; return to pan. Cook over medium, stirring, until liquid has evaporated and a thin film covers bottom of pan, about 1 minute. Remove pan from heat; add milk and 1 cup cheese. Mash until smooth; season cheddar-potato topping with salt and pepper.
4. Pour beef filling into a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Drop dollops of topping over filling; spread to edges with a spatula. Using a fork, make decorative peaks; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake until topping is browned and filling is bubbling rapidly, about 20 minutes (if topping and filling were chilled, increase to 35 minutes). Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

From Everyday Food, October 2008

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Cheddar-Topped Shepherd's Pie - Martha Stewart Recipes

Espresso Snowcaps

Came out a bit too sweet, for me at least.  The extra confectioner's sugar didn't help.  Still tasty though!  I'll have to try using 1/2 C of brown sugar next time.




Espresso Snowcaps

Makes 18

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 4 teaspoons instant espresso
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
• 1 tablespoon milk
• Confectioners' sugar, for coating

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, espresso, baking powder, and salt. With an electric mixer, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg until well combined; mix in cooled chocolate. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture; beat in milk until just combined. Flatten dough into a disk; wrap in plastic. Freeze until firm, about 45 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Pour confectioners' sugar (about 1/2 cup) into a medium bowl; working in batches, roll balls in sugar two times, letting them sit in sugar between coatings.
3. Place on prepared baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies have spread and coating is cracked, 12 to 14 minutes; cookies will still be soft to the touch. Cool cookies on a wire rack.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Chocolate-Espresso Snowcaps - Martha Stewart Recipes

Molasses Cookies

Made these last Christmas.  Spicy yummy goodness!



Makes 36

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup molasses

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. In a shallow bowl, place 1/2 cup sugar; set aside.
2. With an electric mixer, beat butter and remaining cup of sugar until combined. Beat in egg and then molasses until combined. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in dry ingredients, just until a dough forms.
3. Pinch off and roll dough into balls, each equal to 1 tablespoon. Roll balls in reserved sugar to coat.
4. Arrange balls on baking sheets, about 3 inches apart. Bake, one sheet at a time, until edges of cookies are just firm, 10 to 15 minutes (cookies can be baked two sheets at a time, but they will not crackle uniformly). Cool 1 minute on baking sheets; transfer to racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container up to 4 days.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Chewy Molasses-Spice Cookies - Martha Stewart Recipes

Pumpkin Pecan Pie

From the most recent Weekend Kitchen newsletter, a great recipe for my first attempt at Thanksgiving Pie!

Thanksgiving Twofer Pie
Can't decide what kind of pie to make this year.  Dorie Greenspan has the answer in her twofer pie- Pecan and Pumpkin.  Don't forget the home made whip cream or vanilla ice cream with this one!

Baking: From My Home to Yours
by Dorie Greenspan (Houghton Mifflin, 2006)
Saveur Magazine Link to recipe

FOR A 9" SINGLE CRUST:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 sticks (10 tbsp.) very cold (frozen is fine) unsalted
   butter, cut into tbsp.-size pieces
2 1/2 tbsp. very cold (frozen is even better) vegetable
   shortening, cut into 2 pieces

*** Short on time and  need to buy a crust?  Try the Trader Joe's pie crusts.  They are really good and not full of as many ingredients you can't pronounce as the other brands.

FOR THE PUMPKIN FILLING:
1 cup canned unsweetened pumpkin puree
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 tsp. dark rum
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. salt

FOR THE PECAN FILLING:
1/2 cup light or dark corn syrup
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups (about 7 oz.) pecan halves or pieces
1. For the crust: Put flour, sugar, and salt into a food processor; pulse to combine. Drop in butter and shortening; pulse to cut into flour. What you're aiming for is to have some pieces the size of fat green peas and others the size of barley. Pulsing, gradually add about 3 tbsp. ice water-add a little water and pulse once, add some more water, pulse again; keep going that way. Then use a few long pulses to get water into flour. If, after a dozen or so pulses, the dough doesn't look evenly moistened, pulse in up to 1 tbsp. more ice water, to get a dough that will stick together when pinched. Shape dough into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 1 hour.
2. For the pumpkin filling: Pulse all ingredients together in a food processor. Leave filling in bowl.
3. For the pecan filling: In a bowl, whisk together all ingredients except pecans until smooth.
4. Preheat oven to 450°. Roll dough out to a 12" circle on a floured counter, turning dough over frequently; keep counter floured. Slide dough into the fridge for about 20 minutes to rest and firm up. Fit dough into a buttered 9" pie plate; cut excess dough to a 1/4"-1/2" overhang. Fold dough under itself, so that it hangs over the edge just a tad, and flute or pinch the crust to make a decorative edge.
5. To assemble: Give the pumpkin filling one last quick pulse, then remove bowl, rap it on counter to debubble batter, and pour filling into crust. Top pumpkin filling evenly with pecans, then pour over pecan filling. Poke down any pecans that float to the top and aren't covered with filling. Bake pie for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300° and bake for another 35-40 minutes, or until it is evenly puffed and a slender knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer pie to a cooling rack and let it stand until it is just warm or until it reaches room temperature.

MAKES 1  9" PIE

Flour's Banana Bread

UPDATE: 5.3.2010

Added an ENTIRE bag of chocolate chips to this recipe this past weekend.  Don't do that again.  LOL  I can't believe I'm saying this but it was way too much chocolate.  Half a bag would suffice.

Prep Time: 20 min

Inactive Prep Time: 1 hr 0 min

Cook Time: 1 hr 0 min

Serves: 1 loaf

Ingredients

• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup oil
• 3 1/2 bananas, very ripe, mashed
• 2 tablespoons creme fraiche or sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped

Directions

Set oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of a loaf pan with parchment paper.
Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Beat sugar and eggs with a whisk until light and fluffy, about 10 minutes. Drizzle in oil. Add mashed bananas, creme fraiche, and vanilla. Fold in dry ingredients and nuts. Pour into a lined loaf pan and bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.