When thinking of chocolate chip cookies, Nestle Tollhouse usually comes to mind. While that tried and true recipe is certainly good, you owe it to yourself to take your chocolate chip cookie to that next level. With a couple of adjustments, I think you'll agree Giada De Laurentiis' recipe from Giada's Family Dinners does just that. I leave the old-fashioned oats as is, which lends more texture to the cookies, and (you may notice a trend here) omit the toasted hazelnuts.
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 oz. toffee chips
1 12 oz. bag semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment (or foil).
Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
In a separate bowl, combine oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Slowly add to butter, sugar, egg and vanilla mixture, combining with mixer until just blended. Add toffee and chocolate chips by hand.
Using a small ice cream scoop, drop the cookies onto prepared baking sheets, spacing them approximately 1 inch apart. Bake until golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on baking sheet for several minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Monday, November 26, 2007
Pina Colada Muffins
For some reason, if we call it a muffin, even it's still cake, it's okay for breakfast. I adapted this recipe from The Cake Mix Doctor by Anne Byrn, making it not quite so rich by omitting the rum syrup and coconut whipped cream. I also used sweetened shredded coconut on top of the muffins, but you may prefer the unsweetened variety. Keep in mind that these are a little boozy for the kids and clearly not for those loved ones "in recovery."
1/2 cup cream of coconut
1 package plain yellow cake mix
1 3.4 oz. package vanilla instant pudding mix
1/2 cup light rum
1/3 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
8 oz. crushed pineapple, drained
sweetened shredded coconut
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pans with liners.
Combine cake mix, pudding mix, cream of coconut, rum, oil and eggs with an electric mixer on low for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then continue mixing on medium for an additional 1 to 2 minutes. Fold in crushed pineapple.
Pour batter into muffin cups and sprinkle tops lightly with coconut. Bake for approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Let the muffins cool slightly before removing. Makes 18 to 24 muffins.
1/2 cup cream of coconut
1 package plain yellow cake mix
1 3.4 oz. package vanilla instant pudding mix
1/2 cup light rum
1/3 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
8 oz. crushed pineapple, drained
sweetened shredded coconut
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pans with liners.
Combine cake mix, pudding mix, cream of coconut, rum, oil and eggs with an electric mixer on low for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then continue mixing on medium for an additional 1 to 2 minutes. Fold in crushed pineapple.
Pour batter into muffin cups and sprinkle tops lightly with coconut. Bake for approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Let the muffins cool slightly before removing. Makes 18 to 24 muffins.
Pasta Bolognese
What's for dinner, you ask? Well, if it's Monday, it's pasta. A certain member of the household believes that pasta is best served on Monday and Wednesday (not Tuesday, and most definitely, not Friday). We're not talking just any pasta, though. It has to be "strings." Did you know that spaghetti tastes different than farfalle or rotini? I didn't either. I have given up trying to convince said person that pasta is pasta, though.
Tonight, I think we'll go for a simple bolognese sauce, adapted from Everyday Italian by Giada De Laurentiis. I've reduced the amount of olive oil and replaced her Pecorino Romano with an American cow's milk Romano. I also create what Lidia Bastianiach calls a pestata with the garlic, onion, celery, carrot and parsley, which produces a more smooth sauce.
Bolognese Sauce
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 sweet onion
1 carrot, peeled
1 large celery stalk
3 garlic cloves
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley
1 lb. ground sirloin
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes (Cento is good)
Handful of fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup Romano cheese, grated
Salt and black pepper to taste
In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high. Pulse onion, carrot, celery, garlic and parsley in a food processor and add to pan. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté vegetables until soft. Add ground sirloin and cook until meat is no longer pink. Add tomatoes and basil, and if using Cento brand tomatoes, add a bit of water to the can and rinse out remaining tomato. Let sauce simmer while pasta water comes to a boil. Stir in grated cheese and additional salt and pepper to taste just before serving. Makes enough for 1 to two pounds of pasta.
When time permits, I also make another, more authentic bolognese sauce with wine, broth and milk that's adapted from Eat this Book: Cooking with Global Fresh Flavors by Tyler Florence. I have omitted the ground veal and reduced the amount of stock, as well as added some much-needed tomato paste.
Bolognese Sauce II
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 sweet onion
1 carrot, peeled
1 large celery stalk
3 garlic cloves
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley
1 lb. ground sirloin
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes (Cento is good)
5 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup red or white wine
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup whole milk
Handful of fresh basil leaves
2 bay leaves
Salt and black pepper to taste
In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high. Pulse onion, carrot, celery, garlic and parsley in a food processor and add to pan. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté vegetables until soft. Add ground sirloin and cook until meat is no longer pink. Stir in tomato paste and wine. Add crushed tomatoes and 1 cup of low-sodium chicken stock. Simmer for 1 to 2 hours, adding a few tablespoons of water if sauce becomes too thick. 30 minutes before serving, reduce heat to low and add whole milk, as well as salt and pepper to taste. Makes enough for two to three pounds of pasta.
Prefer a meatless marinara? Toss this easy sauce with your favorite pasta and freshly grated Grana Padano. It bakes up nicely, too.
Tomato Sauce
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 container Pomi Chopped Tomatoes
Salt, pepper and crushed red pepper to taste
Handful of fresh basil leaves, torn by hand
Sauté garlic in oil, adding the salt, pepper and crushed red pepper. Once the garlic becomes fragrant (don’t let it brown or it will become bitter), add the chopped tomatoes. Simmer the sauce until it’s reduced and thickened a little, usually as long as it takes the water to boil and the pasta to cook. Add the fresh basil leaves just before taking off the heat. Makes enough for one to two pounds of pasta.
Tonight, I think we'll go for a simple bolognese sauce, adapted from Everyday Italian by Giada De Laurentiis. I've reduced the amount of olive oil and replaced her Pecorino Romano with an American cow's milk Romano. I also create what Lidia Bastianiach calls a pestata with the garlic, onion, celery, carrot and parsley, which produces a more smooth sauce.
Bolognese Sauce
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 sweet onion
1 carrot, peeled
1 large celery stalk
3 garlic cloves
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley
1 lb. ground sirloin
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes (Cento is good)
Handful of fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup Romano cheese, grated
Salt and black pepper to taste
In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high. Pulse onion, carrot, celery, garlic and parsley in a food processor and add to pan. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté vegetables until soft. Add ground sirloin and cook until meat is no longer pink. Add tomatoes and basil, and if using Cento brand tomatoes, add a bit of water to the can and rinse out remaining tomato. Let sauce simmer while pasta water comes to a boil. Stir in grated cheese and additional salt and pepper to taste just before serving. Makes enough for 1 to two pounds of pasta.
When time permits, I also make another, more authentic bolognese sauce with wine, broth and milk that's adapted from Eat this Book: Cooking with Global Fresh Flavors by Tyler Florence. I have omitted the ground veal and reduced the amount of stock, as well as added some much-needed tomato paste.
Bolognese Sauce II
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 sweet onion
1 carrot, peeled
1 large celery stalk
3 garlic cloves
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley
1 lb. ground sirloin
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes (Cento is good)
5 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup red or white wine
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup whole milk
Handful of fresh basil leaves
2 bay leaves
Salt and black pepper to taste
In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high. Pulse onion, carrot, celery, garlic and parsley in a food processor and add to pan. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté vegetables until soft. Add ground sirloin and cook until meat is no longer pink. Stir in tomato paste and wine. Add crushed tomatoes and 1 cup of low-sodium chicken stock. Simmer for 1 to 2 hours, adding a few tablespoons of water if sauce becomes too thick. 30 minutes before serving, reduce heat to low and add whole milk, as well as salt and pepper to taste. Makes enough for two to three pounds of pasta.
Prefer a meatless marinara? Toss this easy sauce with your favorite pasta and freshly grated Grana Padano. It bakes up nicely, too.
Tomato Sauce
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 container Pomi Chopped Tomatoes
Salt, pepper and crushed red pepper to taste
Handful of fresh basil leaves, torn by hand
Sauté garlic in oil, adding the salt, pepper and crushed red pepper. Once the garlic becomes fragrant (don’t let it brown or it will become bitter), add the chopped tomatoes. Simmer the sauce until it’s reduced and thickened a little, usually as long as it takes the water to boil and the pasta to cook. Add the fresh basil leaves just before taking off the heat. Makes enough for one to two pounds of pasta.
Thanksgiving P.S.
Thanksgiving may be over, but I'm already thinking about what we'll serve (0r not!) at next year's table. Then again, I may not wait until then to make cranberry sherbet. We used to serve one passed down from our Grandma Davis made with strained cranberry sauce and whipped egg whites. However, this recipe comes to us from Sue's mother-in-law, Wanda... thank you, John, for sharing one of your Mother's special dishes.
Cranberry Sherbet
2 cups prepared cranberry sauce
Zest of one lemon
Juice of one lemon and one orange
1 cup sweetened whipped cream (or Cool Whip)
Combine cranberry sauce, zest of lemon and the juice of both the lemon and orange in a medium glass or ceramic baking dish. Freeze until firm. Fold in sweetened whipped cream and return to freezer until firm.
Wanda was also kind enough to give me her prized recipe for Chocolate Zucchini Cake, which she found in a 1974 issue of Sunset. I’ve omitted the 1 cup of chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts), but feel free to add them if you like.
Chocolate Zucchini Cake
2 ½ cups flour
½ cup cocoa
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¾ cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons orange peel
2 cups zucchini, coarsely shredded
½ cup milk
Glaze
2 cups powered sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; set aside. Blend the butter and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating mixture well. Stir in the vanilla, orange peel and zucchini. Stir in the dry ingredients and milk into the zucchini mixture.
Pour batter into greased and floured tube or bundt pan. Bake for about an hour. Cool for 15 minutes; turn cake out onto a wire rack and continue cooling.
In the meantime, beat powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract until smooth. Glaze as desired.
Cranberry Sherbet
2 cups prepared cranberry sauce
Zest of one lemon
Juice of one lemon and one orange
1 cup sweetened whipped cream (or Cool Whip)
Combine cranberry sauce, zest of lemon and the juice of both the lemon and orange in a medium glass or ceramic baking dish. Freeze until firm. Fold in sweetened whipped cream and return to freezer until firm.
Wanda was also kind enough to give me her prized recipe for Chocolate Zucchini Cake, which she found in a 1974 issue of Sunset. I’ve omitted the 1 cup of chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts), but feel free to add them if you like.
Chocolate Zucchini Cake
2 ½ cups flour
½ cup cocoa
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¾ cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons orange peel
2 cups zucchini, coarsely shredded
½ cup milk
Glaze
2 cups powered sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; set aside. Blend the butter and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating mixture well. Stir in the vanilla, orange peel and zucchini. Stir in the dry ingredients and milk into the zucchini mixture.
Pour batter into greased and floured tube or bundt pan. Bake for about an hour. Cool for 15 minutes; turn cake out onto a wire rack and continue cooling.
In the meantime, beat powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract until smooth. Glaze as desired.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Thanksgiving Menu
Thanksgiving will soon be upon us. We always have a traditional meal at my mother and stepdad's lovely home. I remember my sister, Sue, putting on much of the feast when I was growing up. When she had her own family to prepare food for, I tried to step up to the plate. As much as I love my mother, some of her kitchen creations leave a little to be desired. One Thanksgiving in particular featured her blender mashed potatoes. I think that was same year she purchased two entire carts of groceries for my five brothers and sisters, and then promptly drove off without loading a single bag into the car.
As a child, our Thanksgiving table also had small bowl of canned tuna with a squeeze of lemon. As strange as that sounds, my late father hated poultry of any kind, and his holiday meal would consist of plain albacore tuna, a wedge of iceberg and crackers. He would indulge in a piece of pumpkin pie, but didn't much care for the crust and would, without exception, comment that the pie needed more salt.
As for our holiday menu these days, we'll have a traditional turkey with a simple dressing and mashed potatoes. I recently saw a recipe for stuffing with artisan bread, fennel and pine nuts that looked promising, but we'll have to see. And, we're sure to have some wonderful sides, such as Cranberry Sauce, Pea & Peanut Salad, Praline Yams, Roasted Carrots and Ambrosia... oh, and that green salad we love so much.
Cranberry Sauce
12 oz. Ocean Spray Cranberries, rinsed and picked through for stems
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 apples, peeled and chopped
Juice and zest of one large orange
Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan; bring to a low boil. Lower heat and simmer until apples are tender, approximately 15 to 20 minutes.
Pea & Peanut Salad
My sister, Liddy, just loves this dish, which used to be served (and may still be) by a restaurant called Embers in Mount Pleasant, where we grew up. It’s become a standard at Thanksgiving and Christmas. It’s best served fresh, as the peanuts become mushy after a few hours.
2 cups frozen petite peas, thawed
8 oz. sour cream (or more to taste)
1/4 to 1/2 cup Miracle Whip
3/4 cup roasted, salted peanuts
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine the above ingredients and serve immediately.
Praline Yams
After I made this on a whim a few years ago from a recipe on the back of the can of Princella Yams, it's been another of Liddy's favorites.
29 oz. can of Princella Yams, drained
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup coconut
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place drained yams in an ungreased 8 x 8 baking dish. Combine pecans, coconut, brown sugar, flour and butter until blended. Sprinkle over yams and bake for 35 minutes to 40 minutes.
Roasted Carrots
After trying these, we decided they're a must-have for Thanksgiving. The recipe is adapted from Paula Deen & Friends: Living it Up, Southern Style. You can add a bit of butter and chopped parsley as she does, but I don't think you'll miss them. As you probably already know, her House Seasoning is just a combination of 1 cup salt, 1/4 cup garlic powder and 1/4 cup black pepper.
2 lbs. fresh baby carrots
Olive Oil
House Seasoning to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread carrots on a foil-lined 13 x 9 baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with house seasoning. Roast for approximately 30 minutes.
Ambrosia
This year, I feel inspired to add chopped maraschino cherries to the mixture, but that's up to you. I recommend Baker's coconut, since store brands can be a little dry, as well as Daisy sour cream, which doesn't have any additives.
1 cup coconut
1 cup mandarin oranges, drained
1 cup mini marshmallows
1 cup chunk pineapple, drained
1 cup sour cream
Powdered sugar to taste
Combine coconut, mandarin oranges, marshmallows, pineapple and sour cream. Add powdered sugar to taste. Serve.
Have a blessed holiday!
As a child, our Thanksgiving table also had small bowl of canned tuna with a squeeze of lemon. As strange as that sounds, my late father hated poultry of any kind, and his holiday meal would consist of plain albacore tuna, a wedge of iceberg and crackers. He would indulge in a piece of pumpkin pie, but didn't much care for the crust and would, without exception, comment that the pie needed more salt.
As for our holiday menu these days, we'll have a traditional turkey with a simple dressing and mashed potatoes. I recently saw a recipe for stuffing with artisan bread, fennel and pine nuts that looked promising, but we'll have to see. And, we're sure to have some wonderful sides, such as Cranberry Sauce, Pea & Peanut Salad, Praline Yams, Roasted Carrots and Ambrosia... oh, and that green salad we love so much.
Cranberry Sauce
12 oz. Ocean Spray Cranberries, rinsed and picked through for stems
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 apples, peeled and chopped
Juice and zest of one large orange
Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan; bring to a low boil. Lower heat and simmer until apples are tender, approximately 15 to 20 minutes.
Pea & Peanut Salad
My sister, Liddy, just loves this dish, which used to be served (and may still be) by a restaurant called Embers in Mount Pleasant, where we grew up. It’s become a standard at Thanksgiving and Christmas. It’s best served fresh, as the peanuts become mushy after a few hours.
2 cups frozen petite peas, thawed
8 oz. sour cream (or more to taste)
1/4 to 1/2 cup Miracle Whip
3/4 cup roasted, salted peanuts
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine the above ingredients and serve immediately.
Praline Yams
After I made this on a whim a few years ago from a recipe on the back of the can of Princella Yams, it's been another of Liddy's favorites.
29 oz. can of Princella Yams, drained
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup coconut
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place drained yams in an ungreased 8 x 8 baking dish. Combine pecans, coconut, brown sugar, flour and butter until blended. Sprinkle over yams and bake for 35 minutes to 40 minutes.
Roasted Carrots
After trying these, we decided they're a must-have for Thanksgiving. The recipe is adapted from Paula Deen & Friends: Living it Up, Southern Style. You can add a bit of butter and chopped parsley as she does, but I don't think you'll miss them. As you probably already know, her House Seasoning is just a combination of 1 cup salt, 1/4 cup garlic powder and 1/4 cup black pepper.
2 lbs. fresh baby carrots
Olive Oil
House Seasoning to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread carrots on a foil-lined 13 x 9 baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with house seasoning. Roast for approximately 30 minutes.
Ambrosia
This year, I feel inspired to add chopped maraschino cherries to the mixture, but that's up to you. I recommend Baker's coconut, since store brands can be a little dry, as well as Daisy sour cream, which doesn't have any additives.
1 cup coconut
1 cup mandarin oranges, drained
1 cup mini marshmallows
1 cup chunk pineapple, drained
1 cup sour cream
Powdered sugar to taste
Combine coconut, mandarin oranges, marshmallows, pineapple and sour cream. Add powdered sugar to taste. Serve.
Have a blessed holiday!
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Checklist for the Perfect Dysfunctional Family Holiday Meal
It's that time of year again, when we get to spend treasured moments around the dinner table with loved ones from near and far. For those of us with dysfunctional families (okay, so that's all of us), meals can be a real adventure. Here's a checklist for the perfect dysfunctional family holiday meal...
- Inadequate amounts of food for the size of the crowd.
- Everything is overcooked.
- No bread (someone forgot to bring it); will stale crackers do?
- No beverages (milk is spoiled; soda is out of the question), unless you count the wine that's been sitting in the back of the fridge for months.
- There aren't any side dishes, except for a green salad, which is composed of lettuce pieces so large, even healthy adults choke.
- No dessert (we’re all supposed to be dieting, don’t you know).
- Food is cold, because the host forgot to provide ample “processing” time before eating.
- Table centerpiece, complete with dried corn stalks and gourds, towers above all.
- Guests are talking so loud that the din drowns out repeated requests to “please pass the butter.”
- Everyone has left and not a single dish has been picked up or put in the dishwasher.
Bet you can't wait!
Shepherds's Pie
Here's another recipe that's perfect for those cold, fall evenings... thanks, Carrie! She uses corn instead of carrots, since her hubby doesn’t care for them. I prefer the combination of carrots and peas. Parmesan can also be used on top, but it sometimes ends up looking and tasting a bit like burnt breadcrumbs.
1 lb. extra lean ground beef
1 small onion, diced
1 medium can Hunt’s tomato sauce
1 medium can sweet corn, drained
3 to 4 cups mashed potatoes
4 to 6 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
Brown the ground beef. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Add the tomato sauce and simmer until slightly thickened. Add the corn and transfer to a 13 x 9 baking dish.
Cover with mashed potatoes, topping completely with shredded cheddar.
Bake until dish is bubbling, approximately 30 minutes.
1 lb. extra lean ground beef
1 small onion, diced
1 medium can Hunt’s tomato sauce
1 medium can sweet corn, drained
3 to 4 cups mashed potatoes
4 to 6 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
Brown the ground beef. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Add the tomato sauce and simmer until slightly thickened. Add the corn and transfer to a 13 x 9 baking dish.
Cover with mashed potatoes, topping completely with shredded cheddar.
Bake until dish is bubbling, approximately 30 minutes.
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Cream Cheese Pie
This recipe may seem too easy to be good... but don't be fooled. I have yet to meet someone who's tried this pie and not raved about it. I often make a double recipe in a 13 x 9 pan using a single graham cracker crust. My niece, Carrie (Meg's dear sister) is a purest and prefers the more traditional single pie-single crust combination. She also insists that I use only Real Lemon, while I prefer Minute Maid's lemon juice (found in the freezer section). Please keep in mind that using fresh lemon juice can prevent the pie from setting up properly.
Word has it that this dessert originated with Carrie and Meg’s Great Grandmother, who passed it along to their wonderful Grandma Pat. Ask Grandma Pat—who can whip up a serious storm in the kitchen, by the way—about our family and she’ll tell you when she first met one of my sisters. At first meeting, said sister (who shall remain nameless) offered a quick hello to the family and promptly started checking out all of their cupboards.
Graham cracker crust
16 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
2 cans sweetened condensed milk
10 tablespoons Real Lemon or equivalent
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Using a mixer, beat cream cheese until all lumps have disappeared. Add sweetened condensed milk to cream cheese and blend until completely smooth. Add Real Lemon and vanilla, mixing lightly. Pour into crust. Refrigerate until firm, approximately 3 to 4 hours.
Traditional Graham Cracker Crust
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
Mix ingredients until combined. Press firmly onto the bottom and sides a 9-inch pie pan or the bottom of a 13 x 9 cake pan. Freeze for at least 30 minutes before using.
Word has it that this dessert originated with Carrie and Meg’s Great Grandmother, who passed it along to their wonderful Grandma Pat. Ask Grandma Pat—who can whip up a serious storm in the kitchen, by the way—about our family and she’ll tell you when she first met one of my sisters. At first meeting, said sister (who shall remain nameless) offered a quick hello to the family and promptly started checking out all of their cupboards.
Graham cracker crust
16 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
2 cans sweetened condensed milk
10 tablespoons Real Lemon or equivalent
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Using a mixer, beat cream cheese until all lumps have disappeared. Add sweetened condensed milk to cream cheese and blend until completely smooth. Add Real Lemon and vanilla, mixing lightly. Pour into crust. Refrigerate until firm, approximately 3 to 4 hours.
Traditional Graham Cracker Crust
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
Mix ingredients until combined. Press firmly onto the bottom and sides a 9-inch pie pan or the bottom of a 13 x 9 cake pan. Freeze for at least 30 minutes before using.
Autumn Apple Muffins
Autumn brings to mind the scents of apple, pumpkin, cinnamon and nutmeg. The following recipe for fresh apple muffins, adapted from the classic Beard on Bread, is lovely this time of year.
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 cup chopped, peeled apples
1 teaspoon vanilla
Combine the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder; set aside. Cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs. Add the dry ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk (start and end with the flour mixture). Once just blended, add the apples and vanilla.
Divide evenly among 12 lined muffin cups (a small ice cream scoop works perfectly) and bake for approximately 20 minutes at 350 degrees (checking frequently for doneness during the last 5 minutes. Cool and enjoy.
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 cup chopped, peeled apples
1 teaspoon vanilla
Combine the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder; set aside. Cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs. Add the dry ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk (start and end with the flour mixture). Once just blended, add the apples and vanilla.
Divide evenly among 12 lined muffin cups (a small ice cream scoop works perfectly) and bake for approximately 20 minutes at 350 degrees (checking frequently for doneness during the last 5 minutes. Cool and enjoy.
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