Iron Chef Pembroke Pines: September 2011 - Peanut Butter Stuffed Hot Fudge Cupcakes

So...I got this recipe off Tasty Kitchen...and I made them for my birthday because I am a chocolate/peanut butter FIEND...

...and they were SO GOOD, that when Septembers Iron Chef was announced, and the secret ingredient was "Peanut Butter"...I knew EXACTLY what I would be making.

Peanut Butter Stuffed Hot Fudge Cupcakes

Ingredients:

For the Cupcakes -

1 whole Egg
3/4 cups Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Milk
1/2 cup PLUS 1 TBS Heavy Cream
1/2 cup Butter, melted
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 TBS Sour Cream
1-1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
1/4 cup Dark Cocoa Powder
1-1/4 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 cups Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce (recipe follows)

For the Buttercream -

1/2 cup Butter, softened
2/3 cup Peanut Butter
3 cups Powdered Sugar (I found I needed LESS than this to get the creamy consistency I was after...you'll have to play with both the amounts of powdered sugar and milk depending on how thick and/or creamy you like your buttercream frosting)
1 TBS milk (have more on hand)
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 pinch Salt

For the Hot Fudge Sauce -

1 cup Sugar
1 cup Dark Cocoa Powder
1 pinch Salt
2 TBS flour
1 cup Boiling Water or Scalding Milk
1 TBS Butter
1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Directions:

For the Cupcakes -

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a bowl, whisk egg and sugar until smooth and no lumps remain. Add milk, cream, butter, and vanilla, and mix until combined. Stir in sour cream.

3. Sift dry ingredients together and add to wet mixture,. Mix until batter is smooth, then swirl in fudge sauce. Line a muffin tin (12-count) with liners and using a 1/4 cup measure, add batter to each cup. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Let cool before frosting.

For the Buttercream Frosting -

Cream butter and peanut butter together in a bowl of an electric mixer. Add the powdered sugar with mixer on low speed and gradually add milk and vanilla extract. Add a pinch of salt and mix until frosting is smooth. If too thick, add more milk; if too thin, add more sugar.

Put frosting in a pastry bag fitted with a tip. Poke a hole in the cupcake with the pastry tip and fill the cupcake. Then use the remaining frosting to frost the cooled cupcake.

For The Hot Fudge Sauce -

Combine sugar, cocoa, salt, and flour in a bowl or a pot over a double boiler. Bring water or milk to a boil in another saucepan or in the microwave. Gradually add hot liquid to sugar mixture. Stir constantly until mixture thickens.

Once it has reached desired thickness, remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Drizzle over cupcakes and store the rest of the sauce in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.

By Shannan Johnson

Iron Chef Pembroke Pines: September 2011 - Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars

One of the things I love about Angel Anderson's recipes is that they are simple. 

They require just a few ingredients that everyone has, and a few easy steps...and viola!! 

A masterpiece that ALWAYS comes out super tasty!! How does she do it? 

I really don't know...but man, oh man...am I glad she does!!

 Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars

Blend:

1 yellow cake mix

1cup peanut butter 

1 stick butter (softened)

2 large eggs

Press into 9x13 pan...reserving 1 cup

Filling:

stir and cook over low heat:

2 tablespoons butter
1pkg semi sweet chocolate chips ( 2cups)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
 
When chocolate is smooth pour over crust mixture in pan. 

Sprinkle reserved crust on top and bake at 325 oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

DELISH!!

by Angel Anderson 

Strawberry Shortcake Baked Alaska

I was looking for new and exciting Easter recipes ...scrolling through my favorite food blogs and web-sites...and seeing so many beautiful things that my head was spinning...

...everything eas so ornate...delicate...spring-y...artistic...

...and WAY too complicated for the insanely busy Easter weekend I had laid before me. I decided on some simple, but slightly altered, versions of things I would've cooked anyway...and had resigned myself to making a bundt cake or something for dessert when I stumbled upon THIS...

Strawberry Shortcake Baked Alaska

A decadent, delicious, and SIMPLE dessert that would turn heads and seem special without being especially hard to make.

I made just about all of this the day before...getting the ice cream in it's mold, making the cake bottom...so on Easter all I had to do was slice strawberries and whip up meringue.

Talk about easy.

Strawberry Shortcake Baked Alaska

• 4 cups strawberry ice cream, softened (I used a whole carton of Blue Bell's Strawberry)
• 1 cup flour
• 3/4 cup sugar, divided
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 4 oz. cream cheese, cubed
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
• 4 egg whites
• 1/8 tsp cream of tartar

1. Spoon ice cream into a foil-lined 1-1/2 qt. bowl ; pack firmly with back of spoon. Freeze for several hours or over night (I went with the overnight option).

2. Heat oven to 425F. Mix flour, 3 TBS sugar and baking powder in a medium bowl. Cut in cream cheese with a pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in milk until mixture forms a dough. Pat dough into bottom of 8-inch round cake pan sprayed with cooking spray. Bake 12-13 minutes or until lightly browned. Meanwhile, toss sliced strawberries with 1 TBS sugar.

Note: Now...if you do this the way I did...you'd skip slicing the strawberries and just skip to the next step. When the cake is cool, you wrap it up tightly and save it for assembly...whenever that may be. 

3. Cool cake 10 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack and cool completely.

4. Heat oven to 500F. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar with mixer on high speed 1 minute or until foamy. Gradually add remaining sugar, beating 3 minutes or until stiff peaks form.

5. Place cake on an ovenproof plate; top with strawberries and juice. Un-mold ice cream; place, flat side down, over cake. Frost ice cream with meringue; swirl with back of large spoon. Bake on lowest oven rack 3 minutes or until meringue in golden brown. Serve immediately.

Bliss...

I'm told you can alter this recipe to host a myriad of different ice cream and cake flavors.

Don't think I won't try it... 

courtesy Kraft foods

Iron Chef Pembroke Pines: April 2011 - Lemon Buttermilk Sheet Cake

Don't let this cake fool you...it looks simple...unassuming...even plain.

But then you TASTE it.

Afterall...with all the absolutely DIVINE things at a Lemon-themed Iron Chef...this cake won.

And it deserved to.

So don't judge a book by it's cover...or in this case, a sheet cake by it's rectangular shape. Just make it...and you'll see...

Lemon Buttermilk Sheet Cake
 
Cake Ingredients:

• 2 ½ cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ cup buttermilk, room temp
• 3 Tbsp fresh lemon zest
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (3 lemons)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
• 12 Tbsp butter, softened
• 3 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk, room temp

Cake Directions:

1. Preheat oven 325 degrees F. Grease and flour 13x9 inch pan.
2. Combine flour, baking powder, soda, and salt in medium bowl.
3. Combine buttermilk, lemon juice, and vanilla in large measuring cup.
4. In large bowl beat lemon zest with sugar until moist and fragrant (1 min.). Set aside ¼ cup of sugar mixture for later. Add butter to remaining sugar mixture and beat until light and fluffy (2 min.).
5. Beat in eggs and yolk until combined. Then mix in 1/3 of flour mixture, then half of buttermilk mixture. Repeat with half of remaining flour and all of remaining buttermilk mixture. Add remaining flour and mix until smooth.
6. Pour batter into pan, and bake until golden brown, 25-35 minutes, rotating pan halfway through. Then transfer to wire rack and cool for 10 minutes.


GlazeIngredients:

• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp buttermilk

Whisk all ingredients until smooth. Gently spread glaze over warm cake and sprinkle evenly with the reserved sugar mixture from above. Let cake cool 2 hours. Serve.

courtesy Heather Wangeman

Iron Chef Pembroke Pines: April 2011 - Lemon Bars

This was a PERFECT Lemon Bar...in every way...exactly what a lemon bar should be. The crust was thin, firm, and delightful. The lemon was sweet, but just enough tart to not overpower. This is what every Lemon Bar should aspire to be...

Lemon Bars

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter at room temperature 
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar 
• 2 cup sifted flour 
• 4 eggs powdered sur for topping 
• 2 cup granulated sugar 
• 4 tablespoon flour 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 4 tablespoon lemon juice 

 Directions:


1. Cream butter and powdered sugar, blend in flour, mix well. Press evenly into an 11 x 17 inch jelly roll pan, bake in a preheated 350 oven for 15 minutes.
2. Beat eggs slightly, add remaining ingredients and beat until well mixed. Spread evenly over crust. Bake an additional 15 minutes or until set. Do not brown. Filling may puff during baking, but flattens when cooled.
3. Sprinkle top with powdered sugar while still warm. Cut in squares. Store in refrigerator or freezer.

courtesy Teri Metts

Iron Chef Pembroke Pines: April 2011 - Lemon Posset

I absolutely LOVED this entry...it was so delicious and creamy and so absolutely perfect... the kind of little dessert that actually makes you sigh with contentment and drift away into some kind of bliss...

Rachel said these would be perfect served in darling little shot glasses, and I think she is 100% correct.

But, since she's LDS, and shot glasses are in short supply in her house, she served it in paper cups...but I am totally going out and buying shot glasses (my LDS status be darned)...just so I can make these pretty little pieces of heaven at home, and have them look as perfect as they taste...

Lemon Posset

Ingredients:

• 3 c. heavy cream 
• 1 1/4 c. sugar 
• 3 lemons, juiced 
• fresh berries of choice for garnish 

Directions:

In a saucepan stir together cream and sugar. Bring to a boil, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice. Pour into serving glasses and refrigerate until set, about 5 hours. Top with fresh berries to serve.

courtesy Rachel Quinton

Iron Chef Pembroke Pines: April 2011 - Candied Citrus Peel

I actually don't have pictures of this, because Ann arrived fairly late, and almost everyone had gone. I DID, however, grab a couple and eat them on the way out, and they were so good, that I decided to include the recipe anyway, even without pictures...so I can make it again at my leisure!!

Candied Citrus Peel


Orange, lemon, or grapefruit peel can be candied to make a deliciously fresh, zesty treat. This recipe specifies four oranges, but you can substitute two grapefruit or eight small lemons or limes. The general rule I go by is to use 8.5 ounces of water and 4.5 ounces of sugar per orange, and I count a small lemon as half of an orange, while an orange is half of a grapefruit.

Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 5 hours
Total Time: 6 hours

Ingredients:

* 4 oranges
* 4.25 cups water
* 2.5 cups sugar, plus more for coating

Preparation:

1. Use a knife or a citrus peeler to score the peels of four oranges into quarters. Peel the oranges carefully, trying to keep the peels intact as much as possible. Set the peeled oranges aside and reserve for another use.
2. Using a sharp knife, cut away the bitter white pith from the underside of the peels. The remaining peel should be approximately 1/8” thick. Do not worry if small amounts of white pith remain.
3. Slice the peels into long, thin strips approximately ½” thick.
4. Combine 4.25 cups of water and 2.5 cups of sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar, and heat, uncovered, until the sugar boils for 5 minutes.
5. Add the strips of peel and turn the heat down to low, until the mixture is just at a simmer. Cook, uncovered and simmering, until the syrup reduces to a quarter of its original volume (the syrup will barely cover the tops of the peels). Do not stir during this process, as that might cause the formation of large sugar crystals. The simmering will take approximately 2 hours.
6. Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow it to cool. Once cool, drain the peels in a colander. At this point, turn your oven to 200 degrees.
7. Place about one cup of sugar in a small bowl. Dredge the peels in the sugar until they are coated, and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Add more sugar if necessary.
8. Place the sugar-coated peels in the warm oven and allow them to dry out. This should take approximately one hour, but check them every 20 minutes to ensure that they are not burning or cooking in any way. Alternately, they can be left to sit overnight on a drying rack instead of placed in the oven.
 9. Once peels are completely dry, scrape off any excess sugar clumps. Store them in a dry location and they should keep for weeks. Candied peels can be dipped in melted chocolate and enjoyed plain, or used in cake, cookie, candy, or bread recipes.

Courtesy Ann Merrill

Iron Chef Pembroke Pines: April 2011 - Lemon Pineapple Extravaganza Cake

What Jason wanted to do was take MY Lemonade Extravaganza Cake, and make it even better...which I thought was a fairly daunting task, since, in my opinion, there is NOTHING better than my Lemonade Extravaganza Cake.

But leave it to Jason to absolutely and solidly prove me wrong.

This cake has a lot of steps...or rather...parts. Luckily, all the parts can be done way in advance. He took two days to completely assemble this cake, making the actual cake, candied lemon slices,  lemon curd, and caramelized pineapples on Day One. Then he chilled everything overnight, and the next day made from-scratch whip cream to fold into the lemon curd, and then assembling the cake right before we left for Iron Chef.

So...you need time...but other than that...nothing is HARD.

Lemon Pineapple Extravaganza Cake

Part One: 

Candied Lemon Slices 

Ingredients:

* 1 large lemon
* 1 cup sugar

Directions:

1. Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Using a mandoline or sharp knife, cut lemon into 12 paper-thin slices; discard seeds and ends of rind.
2. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a rolling boil. Remove from heat, and add lemon slices; stir until softened, about 1 minute. Drain, and immediately plunge slices into ice-water bath. Drain.
3. Bring sugar and 1 cup water to a boil in a medium skillet, swirling to dissolve sugar. When liquid is clear and bubbling, reduce heat to medium-low. Add lemon slices, arranging them in one layer with tongs. Simmer (do not let boil) until rinds are translucent, about 1 hour.
4. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment. Let stand until ready to serve.

I was out of parchment paper...so we used foil sprayed with Pam...

Part Two:


Lemon Curd 

Ingredients:

*3 large eggs
*1/3 cup (80 ml) fresh lemon juice (2-3 lemons) (do not use the bottled lemon juice)
*1 tablespoon (4 grams) finely shredded lemon zest
*3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar
*4 tablespoons (56 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
*Heavy Whipping Cream
*Confectioners Sugar
* 1 tsp vanilla

Notes: Room temperature lemons provide more juice. After squeezing, strain the juice to remove any pulp. Zest is the yellow, sweet-flavored outer rind of the lemon. A zester or fine grater can be used to remove the rind. Cold lemons are much easier to grate. Grate lemons just before using as the zest will lose moisture if it sits too long.

Directions:

1. In a stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and lemon juice until blended. Cook, stirring constantly (to prevent it from curdling), until the mixture becomes thick (like sour cream or a hollandaise sauce) (160 degrees F or 71 degrees C). This will take approximately 10 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and immediately pour through a fine strainer to remove any lumps. Cut the butter into small pieces and whisk into the mixture until the butter has melted.
3. Add the lemon zest and let cool. The lemon curd will continue to thicken as it cools.
4. Cover immediately with plastic wrap, and make sure the wrap sits directly on top of the curd (so a skin doesn't form) and refrigerate for up to a week. Makes 1 1/2 cups (360 ml).

Note: If you want a lighter lemon curd whip 1/2 cup (120 ml) whipped cream (made from the heavy whipping cream, confectioners sugar, and vanilla...mixed together at high speed in a mixer until stiff peaks form) and fold into the lemon curd (which is what he did the next day). 


Part Three:

Roasted Pineapple Slices

Ingredients:

*1 can sliced pineapple
*6 TBS butter, melted
*1 cup dark brown sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 250
2. Place Pineapple Slices in a well-greased baking dish.
3. Mix brown sugar in melted butter. Pour over pineapple slices.
4. Bake until carmelized, about 30-45 minutes.
5. Cool and chill until ready to use.

Your pineapple Slices should look like this...

Part Four: 
 
Lemonade Extravaganza Cake


Ingredients for Cake:


* 1 pkg. lemon cake mix
* 1 small (4 serving) Jell-O Lemon Flavor
* 1-1/4 cup water
* 3/4 cup oil
* 4 eggs

Ingredients for Topping:

* 2 cups powdered sugar
* 1/3 cup lemon juice
 

Directions:

1. Mix all cake ingredients and pour into two 8x8 round cake pans greased with cooking spray.
2. Bake at 350°F for about 30-45 minutes or until done.
3. Remove from oven and pierce holes all over with a fork.
4. Mix powdered sugar and lemon juice and pour over the top. Spread evenly.
5. Chill until cold (a couple hours).
6. Chill remaining cake until eaten.

Notes: This cake can be served at any temperature, but chilled, it gives it an extra cool and refreshing "lemonade" feeling. Its our favorite way to eat it on those hot summer nights.

Part Five:

Assembly
 
1. Remove one cake from pan and place on plate.
2. Top with lemon curd/whipped cream mixture
3. Top with carmelized pineapples
4. Top with 2nd cake layer
5. Top with another layer of curd/whipped cream
6. Top with candied lemon slices and additional pineapple, if desired.
7. Chill until ready to eat.

courtesy Jason Johnson

Iron Chef Pembroke Pines: April 2011 - Lemon Snowdrop Cookies

I actually made two things for Iron Chef...one was a total flop.

I mean...it was so bad I won't include pictures, recipes, and I will never, ever, EVER make it again.

I will, however, create my own, and infinitely BETTER, recipe for it to try another time.

The other thing I made were these cookies...and they were okay. Half my kids loved them, the other half didn't.

They remind me of Mexican Wedding cookies...but with lemon. And they are awfully pretty to look at...

Lemon Snow Drop Cookies
 

Ingredients


* 1 cup butter
* 1/2 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
* 1 teaspoon lemon extract
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup white sugar
* 2 tablespoons cornstarch
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup water
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 2 teaspoons lemon zest
* 3 tablespoons lemon juice
* 3 drops yellow food coloring


Directions 


1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degree C).
2. Cream 1 cup butter or margarine and 1/2 cup sifted confectioners' sugar. Add 2 cups flour, lemon extract, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; mix well.
3. Place about 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool.
(now...I should tell you that mine baked up in perfect balls...making them hard to make into sandwich cookies...so I smushed them slightly with a spatula when they came out of the oven, so they would be flatter).
4. Put together with filling. Roll in confectioners' sugar.

 To Make Filling: Mix 1/2 cup sugar, 2 Tablespoons cornstarch, and dash of salt. Add 1/2 cup water, 2 Tablespoons butter or margarine, 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind, 3 Tablespoons lemon juice, and 3 drops of yellow food coloring. Bring to rolling boil, stirring constantly; boil and stir 1 minutes. Cool. Frost flat side of one cookie and put together with another cookie, sandwich-like. Roll in confectioners' sugar.

courtesy Shannan Johnson

Iron Chef Pembroke Pines: April 2011 - Angel's Lemon Cheese Squares

This was the creamiest, yummiest, lemon bar ever. It was like little danish squares. It was beautiful, and I cannot WAIT to make these myself...

Angel's Lemon Cheese Squares
 

• 1 yellow or lemon cake mix
• 1/3 c vegetable oil
• 1 egg 

1. Mix 1-2 min til crumbly, reserve 1 cup for topping,
2. Press the rest into a 9x13 pan and bake til golden 14min at 350
 3. In same bowl (so no need to rinse) mix :

• 1 8oz block cream cheese
• 1/3c sugar
• 2tbsp fresh lemon juice

4. When well combined, spread over baked crust.
5. Scatter reserved topping and bake an additional 14 min until golden brown and filling sets
6. Let cool 30min... then cut into bars.

courtesy Angel Anderson

Iron Chef Pembroke PInes February 2011 - Strawberry Tartlets

I made this yummy treat...the graham cracker crust is to DIE for...

Strawberry Tartlets

1 ½ cups hulled, quartered strawberries

3 TBS granulated sugar

Nonstick cooking spray

5 ounces graham crackers (about 10 whole crackers)

¼ cup packed dark brown sugar (may use finely chopped piloncillo for a decidedly Mexican flavor...it's that cake of dark maple sugar wrapped in plastic wrap)

½ cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

2 8-ounce pkgs. Cream cheese, softened

½ cup sour cream

½ cup granulated sugar

To Make:

1. In a small bowl, combine strawberries and 3 TBS granulated sugar. Let stand at room temp for one hour.

2. Preheat oven to 350. Place six 3 ½ x ¾ -inch tart pans with removeable bottoms on a baking sheet. Coat tart pans with cooking spray.

3. For tartlet shells, in a food processor, combine crackers and brown sugar; cover and process until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add butter; cover and process until the crumbs come together. Press the crumbs on bottoms and up the sides of prepared tart pans. Bake in a preheated oven 10 to 15 minutes or until tartlet shells are golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

4. For strawberry filling, in a large bowl, combine cream cheese and sour cream; beat with an electric mixture on medium speed until fluffy. Add the ½ cup granulated sugar; beat until well mixed. Drain strawberries, reserving 2 TBS of liquid. Fold strawberries and reserved liquid into the cream cheese mixture. Divide the strawberry filling evenly amoung the tartlet shells. If desired, cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours.

5. Makes 6 tartlets…

courtesy BH&G Special Interest Mexican

February 2011 Iron Chef Pembroke Pines...Strawberry Extravaganza Shortcake

We've been doing Iron Chef since September...but I haven't been very good at compiling the recipes. I might be able to go back and enter my favorites...at least the winners!!!...from the past months...but I figure the best thing to do is just start fresh.

In February, Iron Chefs secret ingredient was "Strawberries". Jason has been coming to Iron Chef with me for over a year, but he only started competing last month.

This month he whipped out an amazing dessert, and he won!! Here it is:



Jasons Strawberry Extravaganza Shortcake

Cake:

2 box Strawberry Supreme Cake Mix
8 eggs
2 box (small) Strawberry Jello (gelatin dessert)
2 ½ cup water
½ cup oil

Filling:

2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 quarts strawberries, hulled and sliced thickly
1 TBS Lemon juice
White sugar

Topping:

2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice

Make It:

1. Mix all cake ingredients and pour into 4 round cake pans pan greased with cooking spray.

2. Bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes or until done.

3. Remove from oven and pierce with holes all over.

4. Mix powdered sugar and lemon juice from "Topping" and pour over the tops of each cake. Spread evenly.

5. When cool, remove from pans and chill until cold (a couple hours).

6. While cake is chilling, masterate strawberries in the 2 TBS sugar and a TBS lemon juice from "Filling" for at least one hour.

7. Make filling by combining cream, confectioners sugar, and vanilla and whipping at high speed with a blender until stiff peaks form.

8. Remove cake layers from fridge and alternate cake layers, cream filling, and masterated strawberries. Repeat.

9. Decorate top with more berries and additional cream filling, if desire.

10. Chill remaining cake until eaten.

courtesy Jason Johnson

Apple PIe

Apple Pie is the BEST pie.

Well...actually...my FAVORITE is Boysenberry Pie. And there was this one time, while visiting my Grandma Ewing in Washington, that I picked BOWLS of wild blackberries and she baked me TWO Blackberry Pies...which will live as one of the best days of my life in my memories FOREVER.

But Apple Pie is pretty much darn near the most perfect pie in existence. And much more easily attained than the two above mentioned variety's of pie...

I love apple pie, and wanted to share my very favorite, best EVER, Apple Pie recipe with you...

Now, you can make your own crust...and sometimes I do...but usually I just use Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crust. It is easy and comes out great. So, the choice is yours...



Apple Pie

One pkg. Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crust or enough pie dough to make a double-crust pie
8-10 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced (about 1/4-inch or so)
1-2 TBS lemon juice
1 cup sugar
2 TBS all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
2 TBS butter (chopped into chunks)
1 egg
Additional cinnamon/sugar mix to sprinkle

1. Preheat oven to 375. Spray your pie dish with Pam. Roll out half of pie crust and arrange it in pie pan, pressing gently to curves and walls of dish. Allow generous hang-over from edge of dish.

2. Toss apples into a large bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice. Add sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and stir until completely coated.

3. Transfer apple mixture to pastry-lined pie dish. Fill to HEAPING...apples should be spilling off. Try and get them all to stay put long enough for you to dot with butter and cover with second crust (which you may have to roll a bit thinner and wider to cover and overhang the apples.) If you can't fit all the apples in, that's okay...but make sure you get all the yummy cinnamon juice that has collected at the bottom of the bowl into your pie. If you have to, remove those excess apples and pour juice over what managed to stay put in pie. Pinch crusts together using thumb and fore and middle fingers to create "lace" at edge of pie. Trim excess, but save for later.

4. Cut vents in top of pie. Now...there are two ways you can glaze the crust...either using a WHOLE egg, or just the white. Depends on the look you're going for and the amount of golden-ness you want. So decide your look (I go back and forth...this year I used a whole egg), beat your egg in a cup, and with a pastry brush, GENEROUSLY glaze your top crust in an egg wash. Sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar mixture.

5. If you desire...you can use extra pie crust to make leafy cut-outs to decorate the edge of your pie. OR...you can use those extras to individually wrap some of the apples that just WOULDN'T STAY PUT in your pie for mini tarts. My mom always had mini pie dishes and made jelly tarts with the extra dough for us to munch on while we waited for the Thanksgiving Feast. OR - just throw it away and say: "Hey...I made an apple pie today...and that was enough!".

6. Rip aluminum foil into strips and spray with Pam, and cover pie edges so they don't burn. Bake about 30 minutes, remove foil, and bake an additional 20 minutes or until top is golden (mine got a little dark on top because I got distracted with laundry...but it is still gorgeous).

7. Cool on a wire rack and serve with ice cream. YUM!!!

(It is normal for pie to "fall" a bit as it cools...DO NOT FREAK OUT!!)

courtesy me!!!

Iron Chef Miami: November 2009 - Gingersnap Crumble Pumpkin Parfaits

And the winner is...ME!!! With the Gingersnap Crumble Pumpkin Parfaits!!!


Aren't they pretty? They're yummy, too...and an original way to serve pumpkin...enjoy!!!

Gingersnap Crumble Pumpkin Parfaits

-

1 qt. vanilla ice cream

1 15-oz. can pumpkin

2 TBS packed brown sugar

1-1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup whipped cream

Additional pumpkin pie spice

1-1/2 cups crushed gingersnaps

1/4 cup melted butter

-

1. Prepare Gingersnap Crumble by stirring crushed gingersnaps with 1/4 cup butter until just coated. Set aside.

-

2. Place ice cream in refrigerator for 30 minutes to soften. Combine pumpkin, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Stir ice cream to soften further; fold into pumpkin mixture. Cover and freeze 20 minutes or until mixture holds it's shape when heaped with a spoon.

-

3. Spoon ice cream into parfait glasses; sprinkle with Gingersnap Crumble. Cover and freeze until firm (4-48 hours).

-

4. Before serving, top with whipped cream and sprinkle with additional pumpkin pie spice...

-
courtesy Shannan Johnson

Pumpkin Tea Bread and Apple Cider Punch

Okay, this post has possibly the lamest picture EVER in the history of food blogging.

It's because I am just as busy as a slightly unbalanced bumble bee. See...on Tuesday, I had a Girl Scout Halloween Party at my house, and I spent all day cleaning and running errands. And then at the party...we made caramel apples, and there was caramel EVERYWHERE!! Then we played games like the one where you eat the donut off the string without your hands. And all those crumbs, combined with more crumbs and sugar from various other cupcakes, cookies, and candies all stuck to the caramel...and...well, you get the picture. Walking across my floor was like crossing a sticky mine field.

So I had to get up super early to clean AGAIN, and then bake because I had a recipe group to attend. The theme was "Autumn", and I wanted to make my Pumpkin Tea Bread and Apple Cider Punch, since I'm not using either recipe for November's Iron Chef competition.

Anyway - of COURSE I ran out of time, and had to be all crazy...and that is why, my friends, I know hold the title for taking the crappiest food blogging photo ever...which is really saying something if you look through this blog and see how crappy most of my other pictures are...

You need to forgive the yellow tint to most of the photos...it was around 5:30am, and the fluorescent lights in my kitchen are not attractive lighting.


Pumpkin Tea Bread

this is a recipe from the Fraley Family archives

2/3 cup shortening
2-2/3 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 pound can pumpkin
2/3 cup water
3-1/2 cup flour
2 tsp baking soda
1-1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves

1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease and flour bundt pan.

2. Mix shortening and sugar until fluffy.

3. Add all liquid ingredients - mix until blended. Sift dry ingredients together and add to pumpkin mixture. Mix well.


4. Bake at 350 for 1 hour and 10 minutes.

5. Remove from oven. Let cool, then flip onto serving platter. Drizzle with powdered sugar icing.

and now I humbly present the WORST food picture EVER...taken as I'm about to drive away and remember that I never took a picture of the finished bread...(drum roll, please...)

recipe courtesy Fraley Family Archives

Apple Cider Punch

6 cups apple cider

2 cups cranberry-raspberry juice OR orange juice

1/2 cup lemon juice

1 bottle sparkling white grape juice

1. Combine all juices EXCEPT sparkling white grape juice.

2. SLOWLY add sparkling white grape juice.

3. Serve immediately.

courtesy Fraley Family Archives

Banana Sour Cream Cake

I am very stressed out right now.

And I decided the best thing to do to relieve my stress was to bake.

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If you have some over-ripe bananas sitting on your counter (like I did), and are tired of banana bread (like I am), try this recipe.

Right now.

Banana Sour Cream Cake

1 pkg. (2-layer size) yellow cake mix

3 eggs

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3 bananas)

1 cup sour cream

1/4 cup oil

1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1 pkg. powdered sugar (about 4 cups)

1 cup walnut pieces, finely chopped (i did not use nuts..as I feel that nuts ruin almost every baked goodie I've made. I am not a fan of nuts in baked things...ESPECIALLY brownies!! YUCK!!)

1. Heat oven to 350. Beat cake mix, eggs, bananas, sour cream, and oil with mixer on low until moistened, scraping bottom often. Beat on medium 2 minutes. Pour into greased and floured 13x9 inch pan. (My 13x9 inch pan was busy holding last nights leftover Seafood Lasagna, and it's back-up was lost at the last ward function, so I used standard 9-inch rounds instead).

2. Bake 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool cake completely on wire rack.

3. Beat cream cheese and butter with mixer on medium until blended. Gradually add sugar, beating well after each addition.

4. Remove cake from pan. Carefully cut cake crosswise in half using a serrated knife. Place 1 cake half, top-side down, on plate; spread with frosting. Top with remaining cake half, top-side up. Frost top and sides. Press nuts on sides,. Refrigerate leftovers. (I didn't slice cakes since I made two rounds...and again, I totally skipped the nuts...which made the cake better. )

Wanna know a trick for neatly frosting a cake? Freeze layers for about 20 minutes BEFORE frosting. This helps set crumbs on the cut edges of the cake layers so they DON'T end up in the frosting.

courtesy Kraft foods

Easter Dinner Feast

Here are all the recipes for our Easter Dinner Feast.

It's not as grand a feast as my mother used to put on...it's missing several salads, and a roast leg of lamb, and other goodies...but it is good for OUR little family. My mom used to feed us AND lots of extended family, and I only have to feed US...

And my husband has to work on Easter...and whenever he has to work...I don't feel as festive. There have been SOME Easter's (I'm ashamed to admit) that there hasn't been a feast at all. But I know that it is unfair to my children...after all, it's not THEIR fault that daddy runs a multi-million dollar restaurant that doesn't acknowledge holidays...and THEY deserve to have the same type of Easter that I grew up knowing.

So this is our simple Easter feast. It has an appetizer, a simple green salad, asparagus side, baked ham, rolls, and a dessert. I hope you enjoy it as much as WE did!!!

Jerusalem Artichoke and Spinach Dip

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2 (10 oz.) boxes frozen chopped spinach
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 (8-ounce) jars artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
8 ounces Monterrey Jack cheese, grated
1 tsp garlic salt
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Baguette bread slices, crackers, or tortilla chips

1. Cook spinach according to package directions; drain well and squeeze out liquid. Saute onions in butter until soft.

2. Combine cooked spinach, onion mixture, cream cheese, artichoke hearts, Monterrey Jack cheese, and garlic salt in a medium bowl; mix well. Place in a greased baking dish. bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

3. Remove from oven and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Return to oven for about 10 minutes or until cheese melts.

4. Serve with baguette bread slices, crackers, or tortilla chips.

courtesy Essential Mormon Celebrations: Secret Combinations for Holidays, Homecomings, Potluck Dinners, and More

Ham and Orange Soda Sauce

1 fully cooked spiral-sliced ham
3 cups orange soda
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/3 teaspoon ground allspice

1. The ham is fully cooked and ready to serve. It is best served cold or at room temperature to maintain it's natural juices and tenderness. Remove packaging and and transfer ham to serving platter, let stand no more than 30 minutes to bring to room temperature.

2. Combine remaining ingredients in a large saute pan on medium-high. Cook 8-10 minutes or until mixture has reduced by about 3/4's and the sauce begins to thicken. Warm sauce can be poured over the ham, separating slices to evenly coat, or served over ham slices. Carve ham and serve. Promptly refrigerate unused portions.

courtesy Publix Apron's Simple Meals

Bacon and Caramelized-Onion Asparagus

3 slices bacon
1-1/2 lb fresh asparagus spears, trimmed
1/2 TBS water
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup ranch dressing

1. Cook bacon in nonstick skillet 3 to 5 minutes or until crisp, turning frequently. Drain bacon on paper towels. Discard drippings from skillet, but do not wash.

2. Place asparagus in pan and and steam with water. Steam until asparagus is crisp-tender. Meanwhile, add onions to skillet; cook and stir 5 minutes or until golden. Stir in dressing.

3. Drain asparagus; top with sauce and crumbled bacon.

courtesy Food & Family magazine

Little Nests

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1/4 cup butter
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 cup Fiber-One cereal
1 small package Whoppers Robin's Eggs

1. In a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add miniature marshmallows. Stir until marshmallows are melted.

2. Remove from heat. Add cereal and stir until coated. When cool enough to handle, form into 8 little nests. Place on waxed paper or Pam-coated aluminum foil. After about 1 hour, press in center of each nest to form an indentation. Place three robin eggs in center of each nest. Place on plates, or on 3- or 4-inch doilies and use as place cards, favors, or plate accents.

courtesy Essential Mormon Celebrations: Secret Combinations for Holidays, Homecomings, Potluck Dinners, and More

Seven-Up Cake

(I was so excited to find this recipe...I haven't had this cake since I was a little girl. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!!)

1 package of lemon cake mix
1 package lemon instant pudding
3 eggs
1 can 7-up
1 cup vegetable oil

1. Mix well and bake 45-50 minutes at 350 in a greased/floured or bundt pan. Cool and frost (below).


1-1/2 cups sugar
1 stick butter
3 TBS flour
1 can crushed pineapple, undrained

1. Cook until thickened and clear. Let cool slightly and frost cake.

courtesy Something's Burning...

Easter Story Cookies

We do this EVERY Saturday night before Easter...it's a great tradition to help little guys remember the true meaning of Easter...

Easter Story Cookies

1 cup whole pecans
1 tsp vinegar
3 egg whites
pinch salt
Ziploc baggie
wooden spoon
mixing bowl
mixer
tape
Bible

1. Preheat oven to 300. Place pecans in Ziploc baggie and let children beat them with a wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Put baggie of pecan pieces aside for later use.

Explain that when Jesus was arrested, he was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3.

2. Pass the vinegar around the table and let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp vinegar into a mixing bowl.

Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, he was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19: 28-30.

3. Add egg whites to vinegar.

Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave his mortal life to give us eternal life. Read John 10: 10-11.

4. Sprinkle a little salt into each childs hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl.

Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27.

5. So far, the ingredients are not very appetizing!! Add 1 cup of sugar..

Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because he loves us. He wants us to know Him and belong to Him. Read Psalms 34:8 and John 3:16.

6. Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12-15 minutes until stiff peaks form (if you have a Kitchen_aid standing mixture that goes up to Power Level 12, it will take infinitely less time).

Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read John 3: 1-3.

7. Fold in the broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto a wax papered cookie sheet (or aluminum foil sprayed w/Pam).

Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. read Matthew 27: 57-60.

8. Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door.

Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matthew 27: 65-66.

9. GO TO BED!!!

Explain that although they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22.

10. On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow!!

Explain that on the first Easter Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matthew 28:1-9.

HE HAS RISEN!!!

Lemonade Extravaganza Cake w/ Strawberries

When we first moved to Las Vegas, a woman in our ward sent this cake over with some Cool Whip and strawberries as a way to welcome us to Nevada. It was SO GOOD, that I tracked her down on Sunday and had her scribble the recipe on the back of a program.

It is my FAVORITE cake to make, serve, and eat in the Spring and Summer...because it is especially good COLD...just like a frosty glass of lemonade. But if you can't wait until it's chilled, that's okay too...it is also yummy warm.

And it's so easy...you'll say: "Oh, I can do that."

Lemonade Extravaganza Cake with Strawberries

1 package lemon cake mix (I like Duncan Hines Lemon Supreme cake mix)

1 small box lemon Jell-O
1-1/4 cup water
3/4 cup oil
4 eggs
2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
Cool Whip
2 pints strawberries, sliced
1/4-1/2 cup granulated sugar

1. Slice strawberries and place in bowl. Add 1/4 cup-1/2 cup granulated sugar and mix well. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and put in fridge for later, allowing strawberries to maturate.


2. Mix cake mix, Jell-O, water, oil, and eggs. Grease a 10" x 12" pan, and pour cake mix in. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until done.

3. Remove from oven, and while still warm, poke cake all over with a fork. Mix lemon juice and powdered sugar until well-blended and pour over top of cake. Spread until it drips down sides and smoothly covers entire top.


4. Let cake cool. If desired, chill several hours. To serve, cut into cubes and top with Cool Whip and strawberry slices, and garnish sides with additional strawberries.

Courtesy Sister Avina of Las Vegas, Nevada