Cooks and Books: August 2011

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Carmel Machiato Pie :)

Ingredients for 10 servings:

CRUST

9 graham crackers
1 cup finely chopped almonds
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons butter, melted

FILLING

1 container (1.5 quarts) DREYER’S or EDY’S Grand Coffee Ice Cream, softened
1/2 cup NESTLÉ LA LECHERA Dulce de Leche
1 tub (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed
1/2 cup NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels, chopped, divided
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Directions:

FOR CRUST:
PREHEAT oven to 325° F.

ADD graham crackers to a food processor and pulse until crackers resemble fine crumbs. Add crumbs to bowl along with chopped almonds, sugar and butter; stir to combine. Press into bottom and up sides of 9-inch deep-dish pie plate.

BAKE for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely.

FOR FILLING:
SPREAD ice cream into cooled pie crust, smoothing out over bottom of crust. Sprinkle with half of the chopped morsels.

HEAT dulce de leche in microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) power for a few seconds to soften; stir. Pour over chocolate morsels, spreading as evenly as you can.

SPOON whipped topping over dulce de leche, covering entire surface of pie. Sprinkle with remaining chopped morsels and sliced almonds.

FREEZE for 30 minutes. Remove pie from freezer and cover with foil. Place back in freezer for at least 4 hours or until pie has set. Remove from freezer 10 minutes before you are ready to serve. Store any leftovers covered in freezer.

http://nestleusa.wordpress.com/2011/08/09/announcing-the-winner-of-our-pie-recipe-contest/

Peanut Butter Fudge Preztel Brownies

Peanut butter, preztels, and brownies? DO I need say anymore??

Peanut Butter Fudge Pretzel Brownies

pretzel crust from heathers dish, brownies from my red velvet brownies

makes about 12 bars

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

2/3 cups chocolate chips (optional)

1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter

1/3 powdered sugar

1 3/4 cups crushed pretzel pieces

6 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour an 8×8 baking dish and set aside.

Combine melted butter and pretzel crumbs in a bowl until moistened. With the back of a spoon, press pretzels into the 8×8 pan making a crust. If pretzels seem loose, drizzle some additional melted butter over top of hit with a quick shot of non-stick spray.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then add vanilla. With the mixer on medium speed, add in cocoa, flour and salt, mixing until combined – about 2 to 3 minutes. Fold in chocolate chips. Using a spatula sprayed with non-stick spray, evenly spread brownies on top of pretzel crust. Set pan on a baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until brownies are baked through.

When brownies have about 3 minutes left baking, melt peanut butter (I melted mine in the microwave in 30 second increments then stirring) in a bowl. Once melted, stir in 2/3 cup powdered sugar and mix until no lumps remain. Pour over warm brownies and spread evenly. Refrigerate brownies for 1-2 hours, then cut into bars and serve.

Caramel Apple Pie

This looks tooo good to pass up! Had to put the recipe on my blog so that I could use it!! :)

Caramel Apple Pie

Pie Dough:

3 cups of all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

3 tbs sugar

10 tbs butter (1 stick, plus 2 tbs), cut into cubes

1/2 cup shortening

1/4 cup vodka

1/4 cup cold water

Apple Filling:

5 cups of granny smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into thin slices

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 tsp salt

3/4 cup sugar

2 tbs flour

1 tbs cinnamon

1 tsp fresh grated nutmeg

2 tbs apple sauce

Caramel Filling:

2 cups brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup of cream

3 tbs butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

Crust assembly:

1/4 cup melted butter

2 tbs granulated sugar

I’ve done this before and I’m about to do it again. Pie dough lecture. After my years of pie dough research, I feel confident that this recipe is near perfect. I love it. If you are thinking about skipping this step and going with store bought, Stop. Right. There. The food processor method makes your active time about 8 minutes. That’s it. For an investment of only 8 minutes you can make the Worlds Most Amazing Pie Crust and when people ask, “Did you make the crust yourself??” You can sigh, wipe your brow and say, “It was a lot of work, but, yes. I just believe that it is worth all the hard work.” They’ll never know.

First, food processors are great at getting the job done as quickly as possible, and as previously mentioned on this blog, the more you mess with dough the tougher it becomes. So break out that food processor and add 2 cups of the flour, salt and sugar and give it a quick pulse until it’s combined.

Add the cubes of butter and the shortening and pulse until combined, about 1 1/2 minutes. A mixture of butter and shortening gives great texture and great flavor.

Add the remaining flour and process until it’s all combined. Move dough to a large bowl, then add the water and the vodka and knead gently until its all combined. Vodka makes your crust flaky. It cooks off completely, unlike water, so you have a great flakiness that will hold up to whatever you put inside of it. Your dough will be very moist, but you can add a bit of flour if it is too moist to hold together. Then split into two evenly sized disks and wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 2 hours. If you need to, this can be made up to three days in advance, just store the plastic wrapped disks in a large zip lock bag.

Preheat your oven to 375.

In a large bowl, combine the apples, lemon juice and salt, toss to coat. Let stand at room temp for about 30 minutes. Add the sugar, flour, cinnamon, apple sauce and nutmeg and toss to coat.

In a pot over medium heat, add the brown sugar and cream. Stir until the sugar is dissolved and allow to boil, untouched, until it reaches 210. Remove from heat and add the butter and vanilla, stir to combine and allow to cool.

Roll out one of your pie dough disks in a circle large enough to fit into your greased pie pan with a bit of over hang. Add the circle to the pie pan and press into shape. Pour the caramel on the bottom, then the apples on top of that. Roll out the remaining pie dough circle. I like to cut out cute shapes with a cookie cutter and layer them on top, adhering with melted butter. You can do this, or you can make a top crust a round circle with slits cut in the top. brush the top with the remaining melted butter and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake at 375 for 35-40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

http://domesticfits.com/2011/08/05/caramel-apple-pie/

S'mores Pie :)

This S'mores pie I found online as well from a website called the pastry affair. S'mores and pie? You can't go wrong!!

S'mores Pie

August 6, 2011

The end of summer is sneaking up on me. I've been spending my days working as a camp counselor. It's been a fast summer. The time flies by rather quickly when working with nearly 70 elementary school aged children; there's never a dull moment with dozens of questions, flurry, and distractions thrown at you all at once. Every night I come home starving, exhausted, and in need of a dose of peace and quiet.

Even so, I wouldn't trade my job for anything in the world.

The final week of camp begins on Monday. I've grown attached to these kids and it will be hard to say goodbye. Many of them have spent most of their summer with me, too. I'll miss them when camp ends—the quiet ones, the silly ones, the troublemakers... Well, maybe not the troublemakers as much (though I suppose we do spend the most time together).

Throughout the summer, I've learned the importance of using Silly Bandz when making a fashion statement. I've been taught that Taylor Swift has song lyrics that can truly speak to the heartache and woes of 8 year old girls ("Love Story is like the story of my life."). 7 year olds can go through a mid-life crisis ("Oh, I think I need to rethink my life"), most girls are hesitant to proclaim their love for Justin Bieber until someone else does first, and it's perfectly reasonable to get into a fist fight over Pokemon cards.

Also, it is possible to lose your underwear and not notice.

I still haven't figured that one out.

Yet, the one thing that holds true about camp, no matter your age or where you are, is that s'mores will always be the number one food to make and eat. After consuming more than my fair share of s'mores over the last few months (I'll have a hard time facing marshmallows again after this summer), I decided I wanted a less messy, more "grown-up" way to enjoy one of my favorite summer treats. Now, tell me, what could be more perfect than S'mores Pie?

I originally made this pie for the sweet finale of a dinner party. Not only was it a hit, but the entire pie was demolished in only a few minutes. My sister and I were both disappointed it disappeared before we got seconds (and you will wish for seconds). When I made it again, I suggested she bring a couple friends over to enjoy the pie. She shot down that idea faster than the first pie vanished—"Share this pie? Are you joking? There's no way I'm going to share this pie."

And so we didn't share the pie. We were selfish and ate it all by ourselves. I don't even feel the least bit guilty.

The moral of the story is that some food is too good to share. This S'more Pie is one of them.

Have you ever found a food so delicious you became greedy and absolutely refused to share?

This S'mores Pie takes the classic s'more and turns it into something so much more than just a pie—it's a graham cracker, chocolate, marshmallow revelation. I actually had tears come to my eyes when I took my first bite. A buttery graham cracker crust is filled with a thick chocolate custard and topped with a layer of toasted marshmallows before being drizzled in warm chocolate sauce. The marshmallow to chocolate layer is just right—you won't overdose on sugar before you finish your slice.

Now, since I know you are going to want to make this, I'm going to let you in on a little secret. The pie is easiest to cut when chilled, but tastes best when warmed. While the s'mores pie is good when cold, it would be a real shame to eat it this way. When warmed, the pie takes on a new texture and flavor dimension. The chocolate custard holds its shape but becomes melted when it reaches your tongue. When combined with the warm toasted marshmallow, you'll understand why tears came to my eyes. Ten seconds in the microwave is all it takes to turn this pie from good to absolutely mouthwateringly I-never-want-to-swallow-because-this-tastes-so-unbelievably-heavenly amazing.

Truth.

One Year Ago: Roasted Cherry Coconut Ice Cream

S'mores Pie
Adapted from How Sweet It Is

Yields 6-8 servings

Graham Cracker Crust
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C).

In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter until evenly coated. Press mixture into a 9 inch pie plate. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until fragrant.

Keep oven running.

Chocolate Filling
3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup milk
10 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
Pinch of salt
2 eggs, whisked
1 bag of large marshmallows

In a medium saucepan, whisk together cream and milk. Warm over medium-low heat. Add in chocolate and stir until chocolate has melted and is smooth. Slowly add whisked eggs and mix until smooth.

Pour chocolate filling into baked pie crust. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until chocolate filling is set and does not move when pie is lightly shaken. Remove from oven.

Using a kitchen shears, cut marshmallows in half. Place halves in concentric circles over the top of the pie until covered.

Set oven to broil. Place pie under the broiler and lightly toast the marshmallows. This can take anywhere from 2-5 minutes, so watch those marshmallows closely!

Chill pie in the refrigerator to set for 2-3 hours.

To serve, spray a knife with non-stick cooking spray and cut the cold pie into slices (the pie will not cut well when warm. You will end up with a sticky mess!). While the pie can be eaten cold, it is absolutely revolutionary when slightly warmed. Heat the pie slices in a microwave for 7-10 seconds before serving for the best results. Drizzle with chocolate sauce, if desired.

http://www.thepastryaffair.com/blog/2011/8/6/smores-pie.html

Homemade Carmel De lights!!

Found these on food gawker. From another blog, but this girl looks like she can cook.

Cookies:

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

up to 2 tablespoons milk *

Topping**:

3 cups shredded coconut (I used sweetened)

12-oz. chewy caramels

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons milk

8 oz. dark or semisweet chocolate

COOKIES:

Preheat oven to 350F. Cream together butter and sugar in a large bowl. Mix in flour, baking powder and salt at a low speed, next, the vanilla and milk, adding in the milk only as needed to make the dough come together without being sticky (you may not need any at all). The dough should come together into a soft, pliable ball. Add in a bit of extra flour if your dough seems sticky.

It's easiest to roll the dough out in 2 or 3 batches (between pieces of wax (or parchment) paper to about 1/4-inch thickness (or a little thinner) using a 1 1/2-inch cookie cutter to make rounds. Place on a parchment lined (or on silicone mat) baking sheet and make a hole in the center. I used a large circular pastry tip. Repeat until the dough is used up (it's okay to re-roll, this dough is shortbread-like and very forgiving.)

Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes, until bottoms are very lightly golden brown around the edges.

Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, to allow them to firm up slightly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

TOPPING:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees (F)

Spread coconut evenly on a rimmed baking sheet and toast 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until coconut is golden. Watch carefully, especially near the end of toasting time; the coconut toasts very quickly once it begins to become golden.

Cool on baking sheet, stirring occasionally. Set aside.

Unwrap the caramels and place in a large microwave-safe bowl with milk and salt. Cook on high for 3-4 minutes, stopping to stir a few times to help the caramel melt. When smooth, fold in toasted coconut with a spatula.

Using the spatula or a small offset spatula, spread topping on cooled cookies, using about 2-3 teaspoons per cookie. Reheat caramel for a few seconds in the microwave if it begins to firm up, to make it soft and spreadable once again.

While topping sets up, melt chocolate in a small bowl. Heat on high in the microwave in 45 second intervals, stirring thoroughly to prevent scorching. Dip the base of each cookie into the chocolate and place on a clean piece of parchment paper. Transfer all remaining chocolate into a piping bag or a ziplock bag with the corner snipped off and drizzle finished cookies with chocolate. (Melt a bit of additional chocolate, if there is not quite enough for each cookie.) I actually just used a spoon and drizzled the chocolate over each cookie--less professional perhaps, but a lot easier ;)

Let chocolate set completely before storing in an airtight container.

http://cinnamonandchai.blogspot.com/2011/08/homemade-somoas.html

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes!

Found these on food gawker and they look AMAZING. Had to check em out for myself!

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes (adapted from Bakerella’s recipe)

For the cupcakes:

1 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
1/2 Cup natural unsweetened cocoa
1 1/4 Cup sugar
3/4 Teaspoon baking soda
1/2 Teaspoon baking powder
1/2 Teaspoon salt
2 Eggs
1/2 Cup vegetable oil
1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 Cup milk
3/4 Cup hot water
18 Oreos plus 6 more for crumbs
small snack size box of mini oreos

For the frosting:

1 Cup butter (two sticks), softened at room temperature
1 Lb powdered sugar
1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
3-6 Tablespoons of milk
4 Tablespoons of Oreo cookie crumbs (from the cupcake recipe)

For the cupcakes:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line tray with baking cups (this recipe made about 18 cupcakes for me).
Break Oreos into smaller pieces and disperse evenly in the bottom of each cupcake liner.
Mix the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl using a whisk. Then add the eggs, oil, vanilla, milk, and mix well until throughly incorporated (I used a hand-held mixer for this). The batter should look like normal batter right now–kind of like a hot chocolate color too.
Then add the hot water and mix until is it combined. Now the mixture should be a much thinner liquid. Transfer batter into a large measuring cup and fill each cupcake cup about 3/4 full. Bake for 16-18 minutes. Repeat the baking process for any remaining batter.

For the Frosting:

Put the 6 extra Oreos (from the cupcake ingredients) in a ziplock bag. Using a rolling pin, crush the oreos until they are extremely fine and crumbled–if they are too big, they won’t go through the piping tip!
Beat the butter with a mixer until it is creamed. Add the vanilla. Then add the powdered sugar slowly in increments, scraping down the sides after each time. Add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until you get the desired consistency. Add the 4 tablespoons of Oreo crumbs and mix until fully incorporated.
Place frosting in a piping bag or ziplock bag with a 1M frosting tip, and swirl the frosting on each individual cupcake. Sprinkle some extra Oreo crumbs on top of the frosting, and then top each cupcake with a mini Oreo.

Caramel Cream Cheese Bars

Caramel Cream Cheese Bars with Chocolate Ganache

Makes 16 squares in an 8″ square tin

Shortbread

250g plain flour
50g caster sugar
175g unsalted butter, cold & cubed
1 tbsp Vanilla essence/paste

Chocolate Ganache

315g dark chocolate, chopped into small chunks
315g heavy cream
20g butter, softened

Cream Cheese Frosting

*refer to http://designerinthepantry.wordpress.com/2011/08/05/bake-sale-for-boots/ for recipe. You might need to alter it by lessening it to one-third of the current quantity.

————————————————————

Shortbread

Preheat oven to 180C. Line a 8″ square tin with baking parchment.
Combine all ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Using your finger tips, rub and combine until mixture resembles bread crumbs.
Press mixture into base of tin, making sure that it is even. Use the back of a spoon to smoothen the shortbread.
Place in an oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown. Set aside to let it cool.

Chocolate Ganache

Place chocolate in a large mixing bowl, set aside.
Pour cream into a med saucepan, heat until simmering. Pour it over the chocolate. Using a wooden spoon or a spatula, stir until well-mixed with no lumps. Add in the butter and mix until everything is smooth.
Pour chocolate ganache evenly over the shortbread. Set it fridge for 30 mins.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Remove cream cheese frosting from fridge. Using a kitchen mixer, re-whip it to soften and smoothen.
Pour cream cheese over the chocolate ganache, even it using a palette knife or spatula. Set in the fridge for another 2-3 hours, or set it overnight.
Remove from tin, cut and serve.

http://designerinthepantry.wordpress.com/2011/08/12/waste-not/

Salted Carmel and Vanilla Baked Cheesecake

500g plain sweet shortbread biscuits
½ cup (60g) almond meal (ground almonds)
150g butter, melted
350g ricotta
500g cream cheese
1 cup (175g) brown sugar
4 eggs
2 tablespoons golden syrup
¼ teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup (250ml) single (pouring) cream
1 cup (240g) sour cream
1 tablespoon icing (confectioner’s) sugar, sifted
sea salt flakes, for sprinkling

caramel sauce

1 cup (250ml) single (pouring) cream
60g butter, chopped
1 cup (175g) brown sugar

To make the caramel sauce, place the cream, butter and sugar in a saucepan over low heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to high, bring to the boil and cook for 5–7 minutes or until thickened. Set aside and allow to cool. Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F). Place the biscuits and almond meal in the bowl of a food processor and process until coarsely chopped. Add the butter and process to combine. Press the biscuit mixture into the base and sides of a lightly greased 22cm springform cake tin lined with non-stick baking paper. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Place the ricotta and cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat for 5–6 minutes or until smooth. Add the sugar and beat for 3–4 minutes or until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the golden syrup, table salt and 1 teaspoon of vanilla and beat until well combined. Spoon the mixture into the biscuit shell. Place the tin in a baking dish and pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the tin. Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes or until firm to the touch. Remove cheesecake from the baking dish and allow to cool in the tin. Refrigerate for 3 hours or until set. Place the cream, sour cream, icing sugar and remaining vanilla in a bowl and whisk until soft peaks form. Top the cheesecake with the cream, drizzle with the caramel sauce and sprinkle with sea salt flakes to serve. Serves 8–10.

salted caramel and vanilla baked cheesecake

WHERE:

This recipe is from donna hay magazine issue 58

http://www.donnahay.com.au/CatalogueRetrieve.aspx?ProductID=3145931&A=SearchResult&SearchID=1687177&ObjectID=3145931&ObjectType=27

Tropical Hurricane Cocktail

Tropical Hurricane Irene Cocktail Recipe

2 ounces rum
1 ounce vodka
3 strawberries
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup coconut water
4 basil leaves
1/2 lime, juiced
crushed ice

Roughly chop strawberries and place in a tall glass with a teaspoon of sugar. Muddle the strawberries and sugar until well mixed together. Add basil leaves, rum, vodka and lime juice. Let sit for about 5 minutes for flavors to infuse. Add crushed ice, then top with coconut water. Mix well and enjoy!

http://www.wishfulchef.com/2011/08/hurricane-irene-cocktail/

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Warm Corn Roasted Salsa

Found this recipe on food gawker! Looks amazing, so I may check it out and try it tonight!! :)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 ears fresh corn, shucked
1/2 large tomato or 1 small, chopped
1 scallion, chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a cast iron pan or heavy skillet. Add corn and pan roast until there are brown spots on the corn kernels.
Toss in tomato, scallion, and garlic. Turn off heat.
Toss in cilantro.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Here's the link for the recipe: http://www.jeanetteshealthyliving.com/2011/08/warm-roasted-corn-salsa-recipe.html

Another Awesome Mango Salad

Chop-Chop Mango and Black Bean Salad

Ingredients

Lettuce, washed and chopped, enough for serving bowls (I used red leaf but romaine would work well)
1 ripe mango, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch chunks
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 can black beans (or about 1 1/2 to 2 cups cooked)
1 avocado, cut into chunks
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
Juice from 2 limes
1 to 2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 small jalapeno, seeded/deveined and finely chopped, optional
sea salt to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions

1. Place chopped lettuce into serving bowls or plates (I used about 1/2 small head lettuce for 4 servings).
2. In a mixing bowl, add lime juice, olive oil, cilantro, jalapeno (if using), sea salt and pepper, and whisk to combine.
3. Add chopped mango, bell pepper, onion, black beans and avocado to lime dressing and toss to combine. Serve over bed of lettuce and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Enjoy!

http://naturalnoshing.wordpress.com/2011/08/19/mango-bean-salad/

How Kate Bosworth Stays in Shape

Saw this post on AOL and I thought I had to post it, so that I could remember it. Kate Bosworth is in AWESOME shape, and AOL just posted a topic on how she does it. If we could only look like her.... Sigh, but we can try!!

5 Ways Kate Bosworth Stays in Shape

1. Running. One of Bosworth's favorite workouts is running. It burns calories, tones the legs and makes you feel great. She also loves to walk her dog!

2. Weight training. When it comes to staying toned and movie-ready, Bosworth knows that weight training is the way to go. It's all about building that lean muscle!

3. She takes on active roles. Talk about a fit career! By starring in movies like "Blue Crush," Bosworth works her fitness into her work. For the surfing movie, she gained a reported 15 pounds of calorie-burning muscle!

4. She goes on vacay. Because Bosworth works hard, she makes sure to take time out for herself when she needs it with vacations. She's been known to frequent The Hazelton Hotel in Toronto to de-stress and recharge.

5. She eats her veggies. Like most of us know, working out is only part of the equation when it comes to being healthy and staying in shape. Bosworth sticks to a healthy diet by loading up on veggies at every meal and keeping her portion sizes in check.

http://www.thatsfit.com/2011/07/29/kate-bosworth-workout/