Monday, August 28, 2017

Chocolate Pie


This delicious chocolate pie is so easy to make and tastes delicious.  I used a pre-made pie crust that really saves time and makes this very convenient.  This can also be made with a graham cracker crust or you can make your own crust too.  I found this recipe here at the Pioneer Woman.  Just in case you don't want to make a pie this is also a great recipe for making chocolate pudding.


I used a pre-made pie crust for this recipe in a 9 inch pie plate


Combine sugar, corn starch, salt in a medium size sauce pan.


Slowly pour in the milk and egg yolks.  Whisk together.


Whisk over medium heat until mixture starts to bubble and becomes very thick like pudding. This may take several minutes.  Just be sure to whisk it constantly once it starts to thicken and be sure to wait until it becomes very thick like pudding before you remove it from the heat.


I used Ghirardelli bitter sweet chocolate chips.  You can also use a chocolate bars and finely chop up into small pieces.


Remove from heat and combine chocolate, vanilla and butter.  Stir until melted.


Pour into cooled pie crust and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours.
                                        --------------------------------------------------------------

Ingredients:

  • 1 whole Pie Crust, Baked And Cooled (or Can Use Oreo Or Graham Cracker Crust)
  • 1-1/2 cup Sugar
  • 1/4 cup Cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt
  • 3 cups Whole Milk
  • 4 whole Egg Yolks
  • 6-1/2 ounces, weight Bittersweet Chocolate, Chopped Finely
  • 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
  • 2 Tablespoons Butter
  • Whipped Cream, For Serving
Directions:  

Combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan. Stir or whisk together. 

Pour in milk and egg yolks, and whisk together.

Stir over medium heat until the mixture just barely comes to a boil and becomes thick, about 6-8 minutes (maybe less, maybe more; just watch it!) The second it starts to bubble and thicken (note: It should be thick like pudding!) remove it from the heat. Add the chocolate, vanilla, and butter, and stir until everything is beautifully combined. 

Pour the pudding into the pie crust (if there is extra, spoon it into small dishes) and place in the fridge to chill for 4 hours uncovered.

Cut into slices and serve with whipped cream!

Saturday, August 12, 2017

Apple Pie Taquitos


I love these Apple Pie Taquitos!  They taste a lot like apple pie but so much quicker and easier to make! They are slightly crispy on the outside and all the flavors of a delicious apple pie. They only require a few ingredients too.


Here is all that is needed to make this recipe:  Apple pie filling, flour tortillas, melted butter, cinnamon sugar.


Place a couple tablespoons of apple pie filling on a tortilla.  Fold up tortilla. 


Brush the outside with melted butter.


Roll the tortilla in cinnamon-sugar mixture. 


Place the taquitos into a 9x13 baking dish.  ( In this photo I reduced the recipe to make just 4 and used a smaller baking dish)  Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees until starting to turn golden brown. Serve while still warm.  Drizzle with caramel sauce, if desired.


                                                         ___________________________


Ingredients:
20 ounce can apple pie filling
12 flour tortillas
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Brush a 9x13 baking dish with some of the melted butter.
  2. In a shallow bowl mix together the sugar and cinnamon.
  3. Empty the can of pie filling onto a cutting board and chop the apples into smaller pieces with a knife.
  4. Lay a tortilla flat and top with a couple tablespoons of the apple pie filling. Tightly roll up the tortilla. Brush the taquito with butter the roll it through the sugar/cinnamon mixture. Place the taquito in the prepared baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas and apple pie filling. You should have enough filling for the 12 tortillas.
  5. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the taquitos start to turn golden brown.







Tuesday, May 9, 2017

Banana Cream Pie with Vanilla Wafer Crust


This banana cream  pie is delicious paired with a vanilla wafer crust.  Topped with a little cool whip is a decadent dessert that everyone will love!


Crush vanilla wafers or use a food processor to make 2 cups of crumbs.  Melt 8 tablespoons of butter and combine with vanilla wafer crumbs.


Press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch pie plate.  Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes.


Combine flour, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan. Gradually stir in milk and mix well.


   Cook over medium heat until mixture is thickened and bubbly.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes longer.  Make sure the consistency is very thick, Remove from the heat. Stir a small amount into egg yolks; return all to saucepan.   Bring to a gentle boil.  Cook for 2 minutes; remove from heat.  Add butter and vanilla; cool slightly.

    
 Slice the bananas into pastry shell; pour filling over top. 

 
Cool on wire rack for 1 hour. 


Before serving, garnish with whipped cream and bananas, if desired,
                                _________________________________


Ingredients:

3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 medium bananas

crust:
2 cups vanilla wafers, crushed
8 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions:

1. Crush vanilla wafers until crumbs.  Combine vanilla wafer crumbs and melted butter in a medium bowl.  Press into the bottoms and up the sides of a 9 inch pie plate.  Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes.
2.  In  a saucepan, combine sugar, flour and salt; stir in milk and mix well.  Cook over medium heat until mixture is thickened and bubbly.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes longer.  Make sure the consistency is very thick.  Remove from the heat. Stir a small amount into egg yolks; return all to saucepan.   Bring to a gentle boil.  Cook for 2 minutes; remove from heat.  Add butter and vanilla; cool slightly.
3.  Slice the bananas into pastry shell; pour filling over top.  Cool on wire rack for 1 hour.  Store in the refrigerator.  Before serving, garnish with whipped cream and bananas, if desired,

Sunday, February 5, 2017

Belgian Waffles




I  am going to be honest and admit that I had never tried a Belgian waffle until I stayed at a hotel that served them for breakfast and I was hooked.  I never knew what I have been missing all these years.  I used to have a  super old waffle maker that just made regular waffles and that I hadn't actually used in years.   I knew I had to get serious about getting a real Belgian waffle maker of my own


 After looking at and reading the reviews of several different brands and models I decided on this one here that I found on Amazon.  It was reasonably priced and I had a lot of positive reviews. I have had it for over a year now and have used it many times and it has worked great!  I have tried many different recipes and this is the best one for waffles that come out light and fluffy and slightly crispy on the outside. Just perfect!



First mix together all the dry ingredients.


In a separate bowl, combine the egg yolks, milk and oil. 

And in another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form (not pictured)



Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and mix until just combined.  Gently fold in the egg whites.


Pour the cup of waffle batter into the preheated waffle maker.  And cook according to your machines directions.


I love this little measuring cup that came with the waffle maker.  It has a little handle that allows it to hook inside the bowl and it works like a charm to keep your counter from getting all messy.


Look how nice and fluffy these get!  When I ordered my waffle make I also ordered this handy dandy little waffle spatula.  This little waffle spatula works great for removing the waffles from the iron without burning your fingers.



Remove the waffle when cooked and top with your favorite toppings.  This recipe makes enough for 6 waffles.



                                                _________________________________


Makes 6 waffles

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs, separated
1/2 cup oil
2 cups milk

Directions:
In a large bowl, sift together all the dry ingredients.
Separate the eggs.
In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff.
In a separate bowl, combine the egg yolks, milk, and oil and stir slightly.
Add to dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
Gently fold in the egg whites.
Cook according to your waffle irons instructions.

Saturday, November 19, 2016

Lemon Cinnamon Cookies


These cookies are amazingly delicious!  The hint of lemon mixed with the cinnamon is a delicious flavor combination.  These are soft cookies are like a snickerdoodle but even better!  I have made several batches of these cookies and they never last long.


This recipe is adapted from Allrecipes
                                                 _________________________________
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2  teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:
1.  Beat butter and 1 cup sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth. Beat egg and vanilla extract into the butter until completely blended. Add flour, cinnamon, baking powder, lemon zest, and salt; continue mixing until flour is just incorporated. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.
2.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3,  Stir 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl; spread onto a flat surface.
4.  Divide dough into about 60 small balls. Roll balls in cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat. Arrange onto baking sheets.
5.  Bake in preheated oven until edges are lightly browned, about 10 minutes



Monday, August 8, 2016

Pear Frangipane Tart

I love trying out new recipes and this was a real winner! This is a recipe from Cans Get You Cooking and Allrecipes.   I probably would have never attempted a recipe that I could not pronounce the name of but I am really glad that I tried this one.  I wasn't familiar with the term frangipane and had to look it up.   So, just in case you're wondering too; Frangipane means a filling made with or flavored with almonds. And oh boy, did this really make it tasty!

I did make a few slight changes to the original recipe and I am listing my version below but the original recipe can be found here.   I only used one can of pears and I used vanilla extract instead of almond extract.   It still had plenty of almond flavor with the almond paste.  And I also added a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar.  This was so delicious and it makes a really attractive dessert that would be worthy of serving to company!

Friday, July 15, 2016

Grilled Fruit and Vegetable Kabobs



These colorful and healthy kabobs are delicious. The marinade really makes these flavorful.  They make the perfect summertime side dish for whatever you're grilling.  I served these along side grilled BBQ chicken.  This is a recipe from Allrecipes.

Here is the beautiful rainbow of veggies and fruits needed to make these yummy kabobs.  Pineapple, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, red and green bell peppers, and red onions.


Thread the fruit and veggies onto the skewers.

In a small mixing bowl,  combine the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper.  Brush the marinade over the fruit and veggie skewers.

Line the grill with Reynolds wrap aluminum foil. Using foil on the grill grates really helps keep the kabobs from sticking and falling thru grates.  Plus it makes clean-up a breeze.  Place kabobs on grill on aluminum foil and grill for 10 to 15 minutes or until done.


Ingredients:
For the Kabobs:
2 small yellow squash, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 small zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut in 1/4 inch slices
1/2 medium red onion, diced in 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 medium red bell pepper, diced in 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup sliced fresh pineapple, diced in 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup cherry tomatoes
8 wooden skewers

For the Marinade:
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 clove garlic, minced fine
3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Reynolds Wrap® Aluminum Foil

Directions:

1.   Heat grill to low, 325 degrees 350 degrees .
2.  Assemble kabobs, alternating different vegetables and pineapple on wooden skewers.
3.  Combine all ingredients for marinade in medium bowl and mix well.
4.  Brush marinade onto fruit and veggie kabobs.
5.  Line grill with Reynolds Wrap(R) Aluminum Foil.
6.  Place kabobs on grill on aluminum foil and grill for 10 to 15 minutes, or until veggies are desired doneness.
7.  Transfer kabobs to plate to cool before serving.


Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce



These super fluffy pancakes are delicious!  I just love the combination of lemon and blueberry flavors and these were so yummy.  I was looking for a different kind of pancake recipe to try and I found this one at allrecipes.com.
I have tried many different pancake recipes but this was the first time making them with ricotta and I really liked them.  It added a kind of rich creamy texture but yet they were still nice and fluffy.  The blueberry sauce was delicious and if you happen to have any leftover, it makes a great topping on ice cream.            
                                    _________________________________


Ingredients

Blueberry Sauce:
2 tablespoons lemon juice                            
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 cups frozen blueberries
3 tablespoons white sugar

Pancakes:
1 cup ricotta cheese
2/3 cup milk
2 eggs     
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 lemon, juiced and zested
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder      


Directions:
1. Mix 2 tablespoons lemon juice and cornstarch together in a bowl until cornstarch dissolves.

2.Stir blueberries and 3 tablespoons sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Pour cornstarch mixture into blueberry mixture; cook and stir until mixture thickens slightly. Cover saucepan and remove from heat.

3. Whisk ricotta cheese, milk, eggs, sugar, juice from 1 lemon, lemon zest, nutmeg, and salt together in a bowl until well blended. Add flour and baking powder; whisk to combine.

4. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or skillet over medium-high heat. Drop batter in 1/4 cup portions onto the griddle and cook until bubbles form and the edges are dry. Flip and cook until browned on the other side. Repeat with remaining batter. Top pancakes with blueberry sauce.    



Monday, May 16, 2016

French Toast Stars

These adorable french toast shaped stars are just perfect for an Independence Day breakfast or brunch!  They are pretty simple to make too!  This is a favorite of picky kids (and grown ups too) who don't care for crust.  I have also made this at Christmas time too.  Try using different shaped cookie cutters for different holidays like Christmas trees or pumpkin shapes. 

I have tried many different types of bread but I like to use thick Texas-style toast when I make this french toast recipe.  I have a Christmas cookie cutter that works perfectly to cut out the star shapes.
 

Place the bread on a cutting board and center the star shape in the middle of the slice.  Press down firmly and tear away the excess bread from the around the edges.  Save the extra bread pieces to make this recipe for home-made croutons


Mix the eggs, milk and vanilla into a bowl.  Dip both sides of the bread stars into this mixture.


Melt a little butter into a flat skillet and cook on both sides until golden brown.


Sprinkle with cinnamon and powdered sugar, if desired.  Serve with maple syrup. 

                                         ________________________________________

Ingredients:
9 slices thick Texas-style bread
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:
1. Whisk eggs, milk and vanilla together.
2. Cut shapes out of the bread using a star shaped cookie cutter.
3. Dip bread in the egg/milk mixture on both sides.
4. Melt butter in skillet.  Cook on both sides until golden brown.  Sprinkle with cinnamon and powdered sugar, if desired.  Serve with maple syrup.