Cranberry Crazy 2

Happy Thanksgiving !

This cake is always a big hit! It is spicy and sweet with the rich cranberries in their own juice. The cake is just a very simple with a nice touch of vanilla, but with the juice and sweetness of the cranberries, it is awesome. I spread some of my cranberry sauce over the cake for added cranberry flavor and to cover up any imperfections. You can also top it with whipped cream, candied nuts or orange zest. I am not a big cranberry person, but even I love this cake, the spice is what makes this so unique.  I made a few of these and took one to Tiffany's Birthday party yesterday and I got a few awesome compliments! Please enjoy and have a fun-filled, family-filled, scrumptious and delightful Thanksgiving.

Everyday Food  

Cranberry-Upside Down Cake

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1  3/4 cups fresh cranberries

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1  1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1  1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in center. Rub the bottom and sides of an 8-inch round cake pan with 2 tablespoons butter. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup sugar with the cinnamon and allspice. Sprinkle mixture evenly over bottom of pan; arrange cranberries in a single layer on top.
2. With an electric mixer, cream remaining 6 tablespoons butter and 1/2 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat until well combined. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture to butter mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk, until well combined.
3. Spoon batter over cranberries in pan, and smooth top. Place pan on a baking sheet; bake cake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Run a knife around edge of cake; invert onto a rimmed platter.

To one of my Very Favorite People: Happy Birthday!

Tonight was Tiffany's birthday party! Tiffany is one of my very favorite people and her party tonight was a blast. Tiffany and I work together, she is affectionately known as T2, as she is the second Tiffany at work. T2 is one of those rare souls that finds the beauty, grace, fun, life and laughs out of work and our lives. I never quite know what she is going to say or do, she keeps me surprised.  She is never anything but true to herself. Tiffany is always a breath of fresh air and so much fun to be around. Despite a cold wet night, the party was full of bright life, warm laughter and a very sparkly birthday girl. Of course we had good food and awesome cake too!

Chocolate Birthday cake!

Tiffany and Phil

Tiffany and her dad

Opening Gifts

More Gifts

Phil and Shannon

Reading Cards

What sparkle

Tiffany and her sister Melanie

Yummy Fajitas

Kevin and Bitsy

Empanadas

Tiffany, Phil and Andrew

Nate

Walt

Stephanie and Barry

So to you on your birthday, T2, my wish for you is 100 perfect pumpkin cheesecakes and 100 more perfect birthdays. Happy Birthday!

Cranberry Crazy

Kate's Cranberry Sauce

It is so good either hot or cold and the best part is it only take 15 minutes.

2 tablespoons butter
1 (12 ounce) bag fresh or frozen cranberries, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon allspice
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
zest of one orange
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup pecan or walnut bits

Wash and pat dry the cranberries. Mix the sugar, cinnamon and allspice together in a small bowl. In a large pan, over medium-high heat, melt the butter and add the cranberries Toss well and add 1/2 sugar spice mixture.  When you start hearing cracking sounds- like rubber bands or the cranberries skins start to open, turn the heat down to low and cover. Keep covered at low for 10 minutes. Stir and add orange zest, orange juice and 1/2 of the remaining sugar spice mix. Toss well and cover again for 5 minutes. Turn off heat and add remaining sugar and nuts. Mix well and chill for at least 2 hours. It is really good hot too. Yum!

Thanksgiving Help from Bon Appetit

How to... Thanksgiving:

Chocolate Cream Pie

Chocolate silk pie and  tomato, basil and mozzarella panini sandwiches and macaroni and cheese... what do these have in common? Nothing, really!! But they made for one hysterical, fun, funny, crazy, flour filled day of baking. My friend Mo and I deiced to have a baking day marathon and this was are menu. We also made theses awesome cinnamon rolls.

This chocolate cream pie is rich and dark, creamy and oh so awesome! This is a classic R. family recipe. This is the chocolate cream pie page in their copy of Baking Illustrated. It is a very loved recipe! One of the things that makes this pie very delicious is the dark and rich chocolates.

Chocolate Cream Pie
Serves 8 to 10

For the best chocolate flavor and texture, we recommend either Callebaut semisweet and unsweetened chocolates or Hershey's Special Dark and Hershey's unsweetened chocolates. Do not combine the yolks and sugar in advance of making the filling - the sugar will begin to break down the yolks, and the finished cream will be pitted.

Chocolate Cookie Crumb Crust:

16 Oreo cookies with filling, broken into rough pieces (about 2 1/2 cups)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1. For the crust: Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350˚ degrees. In a food processor, process the cookies with fifteen 1-second pulses, then let the machine run until the crumbs are uniformly fine, about 15 seconds. (Alternatively, place the cookies in a large zipper-lock plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin.) Transfer the crumbs to a medium bowl, drizzle with the butter, and use your fingers to combine until the butter is evenly distributed.

2. Transfer the crumbs to a 9-inch glass pie plate. Use  the bottom of a 1/2 cup measuring cup to process crumbs into the bottom and up the sides, forming a crust. Refrigerate the lined plate 20 minutes to firm the crumbs, then bake until the crumbs are fragrant and set, about 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack while preparing the filling.

Chocolate Cream Filling:

2  1/2  cups half-and-half

pinch salt

1/3 cup (2 1/3 ounces) sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

6 large egg yolks, at room temperature

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) cold butter, cut into 6 pieces

6 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whipped Cream Topping:

1  1/2 cups heavy cream, chilled

1  1/2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3. For the filling:  Bring the half-and-half, salt, and about 3 tablespoons of the sugar to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon to dissolve the sugar. Stir together the remaining sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Whisk the yolks thoroughly in a medium bowl until slightly thickened, about 30 seconds. Sprinkle the cornstarch mixture over the yolks and whisk, scraping down sides of the bowl, if necessary, until the mixture is glossy and the sugar has begun to dissolve, about 1 minute.  When the half-and-half reaches a full simmer, drizzle about 1/2 cup hot half-and -half over the yolks, whisking constantly to temper; then whisk the egg yolk mixture into the simmering half-and-half (the mixture should thicken in about 30 seconds).  Return to a simmer, whisking constantly, until 3 or 4 bubbles burst on the surface and the mixture is thickened and glossy, about 15 seconds longer.

4.  Off the heat, whisk in butter until incorporated; add chocolate and whisk until melted, scraping the pan bottom with a rubber spatula to fully incorporate. Stir in vanilla, then immediately pour filling through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl.  Using a spatula, scrape the strained filling into the baked and cooled curst. Press plastic wrap directly on the surface of the filling and refrigerate the pie until the filling is cold and firm, about 3  to 3  1/2 hours.

5.  For topping: When ready to serve, beat the cream and sugar in the chilled bowl of an electric mixer and medium speed to soft peaks; add the vanilla.  Continue to beat to barely stiff peaks. Spread or pipe the whipped cream over the chilled filling. Serve immediately.

Thanksgiving Treats: Quick and Easy

Graham Cracker Pralines


35 graham crackers (honey, cinnamon, or chocolate)

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup butter

1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter

1 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup chocolate bits (optional)

1. Place crackers on a non-stick foil 10 x15 sheet cake pan, covering bottom.  Optional: sprinkle chocolate bits on the crackers

2. Bring sugar, butter and cream of tarter to a boil. Add nuts. Pour mixture over top of the crackers. 

3. Preheat oven to 325˚ degrees.

4. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool for a few minutes, and remove from pan while still slightly warm. Break into pieces. 

Apple Pie Oh My

         I love fall! Growing up we would visit the Purdue Apple Farm and pick our own apples. Apples back then tasted different, thicker skins, juicy sweet white with red and green bits, and the apples tasted more like cider than store bought apples. I recently had (for the 1st time in many years) a Purdue apple, it was exactly the same!!!
        I remember that when Josh and I were very very young, Mom would take us with to listen to the Purdue Marching Band practices  (check out the videos) We had a picnic blanket and we would all spread out with fresh apples and snacks and listen to the music. Sometime we even brought our dog, Molly, with us to picnic. I don't know that she liked it as much as Josh and I did. I remember these picnics, the beautiful fall days and the amazing music as one of my most cherished memories with my mom and brother. 
        Despite the fact that apple pie was not really present in my childhood, eating apple pie reminds me of these days. We spent many afternoons in the shade of trees, listening to amazing fun, upbeat music and eating fresh apples. Happy Fall-ing in Love with Fall!

Classic Apple Pie
Baking Illustrated
Serves 8


1 recipe basic pie dough

2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the work surface

3 large Granny Smith apples (1 1/2 pounds)

4 large McIntosh apples ( about 2 pounds)

1 tablespoon juice and 1 teaspoon grated zest from 1 lemon)

3/4 cups (5 1/4 ounces) plus 1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 egg white, beaten slightly

This picture from Fine Cooking shows exactly how to slice your apples.

1. Adjust an oven rack to the lowest position, place a rimmed baking sheet on it, and heat the oven to 500˚ degrees. Remove one pieces of dough from the refrigerator (of refrigerated longer than 1 hour, let stand at room temperature until malleable.)

2. Roll the dough on a lightly floured work surface between 2 large sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap to a 12-inch circle. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie plate by rolling the dough around the rolling pin and unrolling over the pan. Working around the circumference of the pan, ease the dough into the pan corners by gently lifting the edge of the dough with one hand while pressing into the pan with the other hand. Leave any dough that overhangs the lip of the pie plate in place: refrigerate the dough-lined pie plate.

3. Peel, core and quarter the apples: cut the quarters into 1/4-inch slices and toss with lemon juice and zest.  In a medium bowl, mix 3/4 cup of the sugar, the flour, spices and salt. Toss the dry ingredients with the apples. Turn the fruit mixture, including juices, into the chilled pie shell and mound it slightly in the center.

4. Roll out the second piece of dough to a 12-inch circle: place it over the filling. Trim the edges of the top and bottom dough layers to 1/2 inch beyond the pan lip. Tuck the rim of dough underneath itself so the folded edge is flush with the pan lip. Flute the edge or press with fork tines to seal. Cut 4 slits in the dough top. If the pie dough is very soft, place the pie in the freezer for 10 minutes. Brush the egg white on the top crust and sprinkle evenly with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. I used Penzeys Vanilla Sugar.

                  Note: A double-crust apple pie is the quintessential American pie, but rarely do its looks match its flavor.  Too often, the pie is marred by crumbling edges, a cracked top and uneven borders, even before it goes into the oven. For an attractive pie, the top crust should be draped, not stretched across the top, and the bottom and top crusts must be sealed together to prevent juices from escaping. A clean crimping  of the edge is the finishing touch. Nice straight slits, evenly spaced across the top crust, allow steam to escape and prevent a soupy filling: they also provide an attractive decoration.

5. Place the pie on the baking sheet and lower the oven temperature to 425˚ degrees. Bake the pie until the top crust is golden, about 25 minutes. Rotate the pie from front to back and reduce the oven temperature to 375˚ degrees; continue baking until the juices bubble and the crust is deep golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes longer.

6. Transfer the pie to a wire rack; cool to room temperature, at least 4 hours.

If you want to spice up your pie, try these variations:

• Add 3 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger to the apple mix 

                                                 or

• Macerate 1 cup raisins, dried sweet cherries, or dried cranberries in the lemon juice, adding 1 tablespoon applejack, brandy or cognac. Add into the apple mix

                                                or

• Increase the sugar to 1 cup (7 oz) and adding 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries to the apple mixture.

                                                or

• Add in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract to the apple mixture. 

Basic Pie Dough:

For 1 double-crust 9-inch pies

2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the work surface.

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup vegetable shorting, chilled

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4 inch pieces

6-8 tablespoons ice water

1. Process the flour, slat and sugar in a food processor until combined. Add shortening and process until the mixture has the texture of corse sand, about 10 seconds. Scatter the butter pieces over the flour mixture; cut the butter  into the flour until the mixture is pale yellow and resembles course crumbs, with butter bits no larger than small peas, about ten 1-second pulses. Turn the mixture into a medium bowl.

2. Sprinkle 6 tablespoons of the ice water over the mixture. With a rubber spatula, use a folding motion to mix. Press down on the dough with the broad side of the spatula until the dough sticks together, adding up to 2 tablespoons more ice water if the dough will not come together. Divide the dough into 2 balls and flatten each into a 4-inch disk. Wrap each in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour, or up to 2 days, before rolling.

Rolling and Fitting Pie Dough

1. Using a tapered pin, roll a quarter turn, from 2 o'clock to 5 o'clock keeping your left hand stationary and moving the pin with your right hand.
2. Turn the dough a quarter turn and roll again as in step 1. Continue rolling the dough s 8 or 9 inches in diameter.
3. Using a bench scraper, life the dough onto the rolling pin, pick it up and re-flour the counter, and replace the dough upside down. Keep rolling until the diameter of the dough is 4 inches wider than the pie plate.
4. Roll the doug over the pin and unroll it evenly onto the pie plate.
5. After draping the dough evenly over  the pie plate, life up the edges of the dough and ease it down into the lower creases of the pan. Press lightly to adhere the dough to the sides of the pan. Or you can use the pre-made pie dough like me!

Banana, Brunch, Birthday and a Beating

This morning I had brunch with my mom and dad. We also had the added pleasures of my brother, his dog Fenway and mom's very good friends Debbie and Craig. Brunch is a rarity in my life. I work on Saturday and Sunday mornings. I love brunch, where else can you have toasted bagels, smoked salmon (lox) and cake in the same meal.  As my dad says "If that ain't yum, I don't know what is."

Maida Heatter's Book of Great Desserts

7 ounces (2 cups) pecan halves or large pieces

2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 large or 4 small bananas (to make 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups mashed)

1/4 pound (1 stick) butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1/4 cup buttermilk

Adjust rack one-third up from the bottom of the oven. Preheat oven to 375˚ degrees/ Butter a 9 x 3 1/2 -inch tube pan and dust it all over lightly with fine, dry, bread crumbs.

In a small bowl, toss the nuts with about 1 tablespoon of the flour to coat them thoroughly. Set aside. Sift remainder of the flour with the baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a small bowl of electric mixer, break up bananas. Beat them at low speed only enough to mash. You should get 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups. Set aside.

In a large bowl of mixer (with same beaters) beat the butter to soften it a bit. Add vanilla and sugar and beat for a few minutes, using a rubber spatula as necessary to hep mixture blended. Add the eggs and continue to beat for 1 to 2 minutes. On lowest speed add half of the dry ingredients, then the buttermilk, and then the remainder of the dry ingredients, continuing to scrape bowl with rubber spatula as necessary. Add mashed bananas, beating only enough to blend. Remove from mixer. Stir in nuts.

Turn batter into prepared pan. Level top by rotating pan briskly back and forth. Bake 1 to 1 1/4 hours on until cake tester comes out dry.

Cool in pan on rack for about 10 minutes. Cover with rack or a small cookie sheet. Invert and remove pan. Cover with rack and invert again to cool, right side up.

This cake was really different than I first thought it would be/taste. It is not super cake-y. The cake was really moist and fresh. Now I am not big on anything banana. In fact, my friends can tell you, almost anything banana really disgusts me, the exception being banana bread.  Growing up a friend's mom made the best banana bread. I loved her banana bread and still to this day have the recipe. The difference in the banana bread, the reason I actually liked her bread is the same reason I liked this cake. This cake was moist, it had multiple textures like the nuts and soft banana bits. It is really a combination of a cake and a bread. It is sweet but not cake-sweet and of course, it made a perfect brunch cake and pre-birthday cake.

We dressed this banana-nut cake up up with  powdered sugar and fresh cranberries for Craig's pre-birthday. His birthday is really on Wednesday. But since Debbie and Craig were in from Massachusetts to visit and to go to the Colts/Patriots game earlier today.

The Colts Won!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fenway

Enjoy your week!