Caramel Cake with Brown Sugar Buttercream Frosting from Jubilee

 Ingredients for the cake:

3 C all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 C buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla

2 sticks butter at room temp

2 C white sugar

4 eggs

Directions for the cake:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour 2 9 inch cake pans or 13 x 9 baking pan.

2. Combine dry ingredients. In small bowl combine buttermilk and vanilla.

3. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Add flour alternating w/buttermilk, 3 additions each. 

4. Bake 30-35 min. 

Ingredients for frosting:

12 Tbsp butter at room temperature

1 C packed light brown sugar

1/2 C whole milk

3 C sifted powdered sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla

1/4 C half and half

Directions:

1. Melt butter, stir in brown sugar and milk. Boil for two minutes. 

2. Remove from heat and beat in powdered sugar, salt and vanilla. Beat until cool and thick. Can add half and half only if needed if too thick. 

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

 from Jubilee by Toni Tipton-Martin

Ingredients:

1 lbs elbow macaroni

2 C shredded cheddar cheese

2 C shredded Jack cheese

1 stick butter, melted

1/2 C sour cream

3 large eggs, well beaten

12 oz can evaporated milk

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp white pepper

1/4 cayenne pepper

Paprika

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter a 13 x 9 baking pan.

2. Boil your pasta until al dente and drain.

3. Combine cheeses, measure out 1 cup and set aside. Layer cheese and noodles in the baking dish, beginning and ending with macaroni. 

4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, sour cream, eggs, milk, salt, pepper and cayenne. Pour the cream sauce over the mac and cheese. Top with the reserved cup of cheese and sprinkle with paprika (I also used nutmeg and added 1 tsp mustard to the sauce). 

5. Bake until the cheese is bubbling and the top is browned and crusty, 30 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand 10 min before serving. 

Peanut Soup

 from Jubilee by Toni Tipton-Martin

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp butter

1/2 C minced onion

1 tsp minced garlic

1 T flour

1 C peanut butter (ideally natural, not sweetened)

1 qt. chicken stock

1 C heavy whipping cream

Salt and pepper

Hot pepper sauce (optional)

Crushed roasted peanuts, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. In a med saucepan heat the butter over med heat until it is sizzling. Add onion and garlic and saute about 3 minutes until translucent but not browned. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and use a whisk to stir it together, about 30 seconds. Whisk in the peanut butter until softened and smooth.

2. Gradually whisk in the chicken stock and bring it to a very gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cook it very gently for 20 min to thicken and marry the flavors, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. 

3. Stir in the cream and let it gently heat up to your desired service temperature. Do not overheat. Season to taste with salt, pepper and hot pepper sauce. Serve w/peanuts if desired. 

Orange Biscuits

 From Jubilee by Toni Tipton-Martin

You can also make these by rolling the dough 3/4 inch thick and spoon the marmalade into a little dip pressed into the center of the biscuit. 

Ingredients:

2 C all purpose flour

4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/3 butter or shortening, chilled and cut into pieces

2/3 C heavy whipping cream

2 tsp grated orange zest

2 tsp fresh orange juice

1/2 C orange marmalade (I used canned apricot pie filling)

1 Tbsp butter, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Lightly butter a 9 inch baking pan (or pie plate). 

2. Combine dry ingredients. Cut in the shortening. 

3. In a small bowl, combine the cream, orange zest, and orange juice. Using a form gradually blend three quarters of the cream-juice mixture into the flour mixture, stirring gently. Stir in enough of the remaining cream-juice mixture to make a slightly sticky dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl. 

4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead 8-10 times until the dough comes together and is smooth. 

5. Roll or pat the dough into a rectangle 12 in long, 1/4 in thick. Spoon the marmalade over the dough and spread it out. Roll up the dough and cut into 1 inch slices. Place the biscuits in your pan, leaving no space between. Brush with melted butter.

6. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce oven to 375F and bake another 10 min until puffed and golden brown. Serve warm.

Buttermilk Biscuits from Jubilee

 by Toni Tipton-Martin 

Ingredients:

2 C all purpose flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 C yellow shortening, cut into pieces and chilled (or not)

3/4 to 1 C buttermilk

Melted salted butter (optional)

Honey butter, ham or molasses and butter, for serving

Directions:

1. Preheat over to 450 F. 

2. Combine dry ingredients and use pastry blender to cut in shortening. Use a form to blend in the buttermilk to make a slightly sticky dough that pulls away from the sides of a bowl. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.

3. Use the heel of your hand to push the dough away from you. Fold the dough in half again and repeat-- 6-10 times, just until to comes together and is smooth. 

4. Roll or pat dough to a 1/2 inch thickness. If cutting w/round cutter, press straight down, do not twist. 

5. Place on ungreased baking sheet, bake until puffed/brown 12-15 min. 

6. Brush w. melted butter immediately after baking and serve warm.

Hard-Roasted Spiced Cauliflower

 From Nothing Fancy by Alison Roman.

I used 2 cauliflowers and about 1.5 times the flavoring-- would cut back on the crushed red pepper flakes next time but otherwise excellent. I accidentally roasted the herbs along with everything else and it was fine. Ate it without cheese or yogurt and it was really good but I agree with Alison that you could "add a can or rinsed and drained chickpeas to the cauliflower before roasting" and "then all of a sudden you have dinner."

Ingredients:

1 large head cauliflower, about 2 lbs

4 garlic cloves (finely grated) (just used chopped garlic from fridge)

1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 tsp fennel seeds

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

1/3 C olive oil

Salt and pepper to test

1/4 C finely chopped chives, mint, parsley or cilantro, stems and leaves

Crumbled feta, seasoned yogurt or labne (optional, to serve)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450F.

2. Break the cauliflower into very small florets about the size of a large bean with your hands.

3. Toss the cauliflower with everything except the herbs and spread out on a rimmed baking sheet (two cauliflowers will fit on a large sheet). Place in oven and don't look at it for 15 min.

4. After 15 min toss every 5 min or so for another 15-20 min until all the small parts are dark and crisp.

5. Transfer to a large platter and top with herbs. 

Can roast a few hours ahead and store at room temperature.

Lemony Turmeric Tea Cake

 From Nothing Fancy by Alison Roman

Ingredients

1 1/2 C all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

3/4 tsp ground turmeric

1 C plus 2 Tbsp sugar (separated)

2 Tbsp finely grated lemon zest, plus 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

3/4 C sour cream or full-fat Greek yogurt, plus more for serving (optional)

2 large eggs

1/2 C (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1/2 lemon, thinly sliced, seed removed

Whipping cream for serving (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease 9 x 4 loaf pain and line with parchment. 

2. Combine flour, baking powder, salt and turmeric.

3. In large bowl combine 1 C sugar with lemon zest and rub together w/fingertips until combined. Whisk in sour cream, eggs and lemon juice.

4. Add wet mixture to flour mixture, stir just to blend. Fold in the melted butter. Scrape into prepared pan, smoothing the top. Scatter the top with the lemon slices and remaining 2 T of sugar.

5. Bake until the top of the cake is golden brown, the edges pull away from the sides of the pan, and a tested inserted in the center comes out clean, 50-60 min. Can put tin foil over top if lemons are burning. Cool before slicing.

Cake stores for 5 days wrapped tightly at room temp.

Malva

Reviving the recipe blog after several years dead, in which time I have become a much better cook by pivoting from online to cookbook-based cooking. My phone is getting cluttered with snapshots of recipes and it would be easier to just get back to blogging them than sifting through my phone! But this is an internet recipe and I made this for Three King's Day in 2021 and it was very easy and very pleasing and wholly new, from: https://www.food.com/recipe/malva-pudding-south-african-baked-dessert-118545

Ingredients:

For the pudding:

3/4 C or 180 g white sugar

2 large eggs

1 Tbsp apricot jam

1 C or 150 g all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda (maybe do half and half baking soda baking powder?)

1/2 tsp salt

1 generous Tbsp butter

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

1/3 C milk

For the sauce:

3/4 C fresh cream

7 Tbsp butter

1/2 - 2/3 C sugar

1/3 C hot water

2 tsp vanilla

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat oven to 350 deg F/180 deg Celsius. 
• Grease an oven dish. I used a 7 x 7 x 1 1/2 inch Pyrex dish. (18 x 18 x 4 1/2 cm)
• Beat or whip the sugar and eggs with an electric mixer until thick and lemon coloured, then add the jelly (jam) and mix through.
• Melt the butter (don't boil) and add the butter and vinegar to the wet mixture.
• Sieve, or simply mix together: the flour, soda and salt.
• Add this mixture with the milk to the egg mixture in the processor or mixing bowl. Beat well.
• Pour into an oven-proof dish and bake until pudding is brown and well-risen -- depending on your oven and oven dish this will be between 30 - 45 minutes. (Mine was done in 30 minutes this time).
• In a pot, melt together the ingredients for the sauce, and stir well.
• Pour it over the pudding as soon as it comes out of the oven.
• Leave to stand awhile before serving. Serve warm. Because it's rich it does not really need enhancement (agree), but if you want, serve with vanilla ice cream.

Sanguinaccio

The Robber and I have been treating ourselves to what I think this is at Cafe Venecia in Palo Alto for the last few years-- I'll admit this recipe is the reason I saved any of the Italian newspapers in the first place. I'm hoping it delivers when I actually make some. From AdriBarrCrocetti.com. Serves 4 or more, depending on serving size.

Ingredients

3 T cornstarch
1 C sugar
1/3 C unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
Pinch salt
1 1/2 C whole milk
1 1/2 C heavy cream
4 large egg yolks
1 vanilla bean
4 oz 62% semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
Whipped cream, to garnish

Directions

1. Pour the milk into a 2 qt saucepan. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise. Scrape the seeds into the saucepan and add the bean. Heat over a medium flame until small bubbles form around the edges. Remove the pan from the heat. Cover and set aside to steep for 20 min.

2. Blend the cornstarch, sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl.

3. Add the cream and combine. Add the egg yolks and beat well.

4. Slowly pour all the hot milk over the cocoa mixture, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the saucepan. Stir over a medium low flame until it thickens and comes to a boil, about 7-8 minutes.

5. Melt the chocolate in the microwave or over a double boiler.

6. Remove the milk mixture from the heat. Remove and discard the vanilla bean. Add the melted chocolate, stirring until smooth. Garnish with whipped cream.

Panettone French Toast

Sounds really really bad for you but very delicious. Maybe I'll eat it once in my life to be fancy. From AdriBarrCrocetti.com. Serves 4.

Ingredients

1 lbs of Panettone
6 large eggs
1 C heavy cream
1 C milk
1/4 C granulated sugar
1 T brandy
Zest of one orange
Pinch of salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Unsalted butter, softened
Confectioner's sugar, for dusting
Pomegranate seeds, for garnishing

Directions

1. Remove the discard the paper from the panettone. Cut the top from the panettone and cut remainder of panettone into 1-inch thick slices, cutting the very large inner slices in half.

2. Place the eggs, cream, milk, sugar, brandy, orange zest, salt and nutmeg in a low baking dish and whisk until blended.

3. Place the panettone slices in the mixture, 2 or 3 at a time. Soak, turning once, about 10-15 sec per side.

4. Heat a griddle over medium heat and brush lightly with unsalted butter. Cook panettone until golden brown, 4-5 min per side. Can keep cooked slices in warm 200 degree over.

5. Serve topped with butter, sugar and pomegranate seeds.

Zuppa di Farro con Zucca Farro Soup with Squash

Sounds healthy, no? From ArdiBarrCrocetti.com. Serves 6.

Ingredients

1 C Rustichella d'Abruzzo whole farro
1 1/2 - 2 lbs butternut squash, cut in 1 inch chunks
2 ribs celery, cut into 1/4 inch dice
2 large carrots, cut into 1/4 inch dice
2-3 shallots, very thinly sliced (approx 3/4 C)
1 28 oz can of tomatoes, chopped or crushed
1/4 C Italian parsley, roughly chopped
1 sprig of rosemary
3-4 C unsalted chicken broth
1/2 C dried cannellini beans or 1 15 oz can, rinsed and drained
1 bay leaf
Peperocino flakes
Fine sea salt
Black pepper
EVOO
Rinds of Parmigiano-Reggiano
Grated parmigiano-reggiano

Directions (for canned beans):

1. Transfer farro to a medium bowl and cover with 2 inches of cold water. Soak for 20 minutes. Drain and transfer to a 4 quart saucepan, adding 6 C of cold water. Cover and bring to a rolling boil. Remove the lid, add 1/4 tsp of sea salt. Stir, reduce to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, until farro is barely tender, about 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, pour 3 T. of EVOO into a low, 6 quart heavy bottom Dutch oven and heat over a medium flame. Add squash, celery, carrot, shallots, and 1/2 tsp of salt, tossing to coat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and take on a translucent, shiny appearance about 12 min. Do not brown the shallots.

3. Add the tomatoes and their juices, the peperocino, parsley, rosemary and 3 C of chicken broth. Simmer until the vegetables are soft, another 10-15 min. Remove the rosemary sprig and use an immersion blender to puree half the mixture.

4. Add the beans, farro and 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 more minutes. Salt/pepper to taste. If desired, add additional C of chicken broth.

5. Serve with grated parmigiano on top.

Castagnole

Another Italian newspaper recipe, this from mapleandsaffron.com. Castagnole are the deep fried dough balls served at Italian Carnival.

Ingredients

600 g flour
150 g sugar
150 g olive oil
4 eggs
1 small glass of anise-flavored liquer (optional)
Grated peel of one lemon
8 g baking powder
Icing sugar
A pinch of salt
Vegetable oil for deep-frying

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients together until you get a soft and smooth dough. Let it stand for a few minutes. Cut the dough into smaller pieces and roll them into strips, then using a knife, cut the dough into small pieces.

2. Shape each piece into a smooth little ball. Deep fry the balls in vegetable oil. When they are golden, take them out with a skimming ladle and dry them.

3. Let them cool for a few minutes and then sprinkle with icing sugar. Good for three or four days.

Lentil and Golden Beet Salad with Gremolata

Vegetable Tuesdays has been on hiatus but that doesn't mean we (ahem the Robber) haven't been cooking. I had a baby. And am having another one in December! And in this exact moment, am in a weird decluttering moment where I want to purge my house of everything unnecessary... but it's hard. So I am going to blog some Italian recipes I found in some newspapers given to me by Angela at La Biscotteria in Redwood City. I might never make them. But then I can throw the newspapers away in peace.

So here: Lentil and golden beet salad with hazelnut gremolata. Sounds like something my oldest sister would make. From Our ItalianTable.com.

Ingredients

1 C Puy or French green lentils
2 C water or chicken broth
1 garlic clove, peeled or lightly smashed
1 sprig of thyme
1 bay leaf
8 small golden beets
1 candy cane beet, peeled and thinly shaves on a mandolin slicer
A mild Pecorino cheese such as Pecorino Toscano
Bunch of watercress or baby arugula, trimmed and washed
Zest of 1 lemon, reserving lemon for dressing
5-10 sprigs of Italian parsley, finely minced
1/2 C roasted and hulled hazelnuts, cooled and finely chopped

Directions

1. Place the lentils, broth, thyme, garlic and bay leaf in a small pot. Bring to boil and reduce to a low simmer. Cook for 20-30 minutes until the lentils are al dente. Cool briefly and drain in a colander.

2. Place the beets in a heavy-bottom pot with a steamer insert. Fill the bottom with water and place the beets in the steamer. Bring to a boil and steam for 1 hour. When done, let cool enough to handle. Peel them with your hands and slice into quarters or smaller.

3. Zest 1 lemon into a work bowl and add the finely chopped parsley and hazelnuts. Season with salt and pepper and stir in a Tbsp of good quality olive oil.

4. Juice half the lemon into a bowl and add twice as much olive oil as lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Vigorously whisk. Mix the beets and lentils in a bowl and add a small amount of the dressing. Lightly toss and return to the refrigerator.

5. Lightly toss the watercress or arugula with some salad dressing and place on the serving place. Top with beet/lentil mixture. Scatter with slices of candy cane beets. Top with slices of pecorino cheese. Sprinkle with the parsley/hazelnut mixture and serve.

Caramel-Almond Torte with Spiced Mango Compote (for Passover)

Disclaimer: I haven't actually made this yet. Occasionally a recipe shows up on this blog before I've made it because someone sends it to me in hard copy or e-copy and I've nowhere else to store it and I feel compelled to keep it rather than throw it away. This is what my family ate for Passover dessert last year and my mother copied out the recipe on the back of some study materials and mailed it to me, and it looks delicious. Perhaps I'll make it for Passover this spring, if we get the chance to celebrate it (e.g. I am not on the night float.)

From Bon Appetit April 2002 by Jayne Cohen. 

Ingredients:

For the compote:

1 1/4 C. sugar

1 1/4 C. water

1 1/2 T. chopped peeled fresh ginger

1 T. orange zest

1 T. fresh lemon juice

1 cinnamon stick, broken in half

3 1-pound mangoes, peeled, pitted, cut into 3/4-inch pieces

For the torte:

2 1/4 C. slivered almonds (approx. 9 oz.), toasted, cooled

8 T. sugar

1 T. potato starch

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

4 large eggs, separated

1 tsp. almond extract

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 C. pareve kosher-for-Passover margarine

1/4 C. packed golden brown sugar

Directions:

1. Make the compote: Combine the first six compote ingredients in a medium heavy saucepan. Bring the syrup to boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil syrup five minutes then pour into a medium bowl and cool for 30 minutes. Stir in mangoes. Cover and chill at least two hours and up to four days.

2. Make the torte: Preheat the oven to 375F. Blend 1 3/4 C. almonds, 2 T. sugar, starch, and cinnamon in a processor until nuts are finely chopped, about 45 seconds. 

3. Using electric mixer, beat egg yolks, 2 T. sugar, and almond extract in a large bowl until very thick and pale in color, about three minutes. Fold almond mixture into yolk mixture.

4. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites and salt in a medium bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 4 T. sugar, beating until stiff but not dry. Fold large spoonful of whites into yolk mixture to lighten. Fold in remaining whites.

5. Transfer batter to 9" springform pan. Bake torte until puffed and golden brown and tester inserted into smooth and thick, about three minutes. Mix in remaining 1/2 C. almonds. Spoon topping over torte. Cool one hour. (Can be made six hours ahead, let stand at room temperature).

6. Cut around pan sides to loosen torte; release pan sides. Place torte on platter and serve alongside compote. 

Butterscotch Pudding

An indulgence, really, but somehow when I found this recipe it caught my eye and knowing how much the Robber loves butterscotch and I love cold, creamy things, I decided to give this a try. The flavor is more carmelly than butterscotch really, and I didn't have a strainer so the texture in mine turned out less than ideal but it was easy to make and the Robber loved it, so let's call it a win. (I did not make the ganache, this is rich enough it is totally unnecessary).

From the Pizzeria Locale in Denver by way of the NYTimes Restaurant Takeaway Column:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/02/dining/butterscotch-pudding-creamy-light-and-nutty.html?ref=restauranttakeaway

Ingredients:

For the pudding:

3 C. heavy whipping cream

1 1/2 C. milk

3/4 C. plus 1 T. dark brown sugar

3/4 tsp. fine sea salt (or just regular salt)

4 large egg yolks

1 large egg

4 tsp. cornstarch

4 1/2 T. unsalted butter

For the ganache:

1/4 C. heavy whipping cream (plus additional for topping)

2.5 oz. chopped milk chocolate

Directions:

1. Make the pudding: In a small pot, bring the cream and milk to a simmer. Cover to keep warm.

2. In a medium pot, bring brown sugar, 1/3 C. water and salt to a boil. Cook while stirring occasionally until the solution is 240 degrees on a candy thermometer (5-10 minutes). The mixture should be a deep brown color and smell nutty and carmelized.

3. Immediately whisk cream mixture into brown sugar to stop the cooking. The mixture will seize. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, and cook until smooth.

4. In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolks, egg and cornstarch. Pour a ladleful of hot cream mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly so the eggs don't curdle. Pour egg mixture into the pot with the cream, whisking more. Cook for another 2-4 minutes until thickened (ok if the mixture simmers).

5. Strain mixture into a bowl and whisk in butter until smooth. Divide into 8 serving dishes (or one large souffle dish) and chill for at least 4 hours until custards are set. 

6. Make the ganache: In a small saucepan, heat cream until steaming. Add chocolate and stir constantly over very heat until just melted. Strain into a glass measuring cup with a spout. 

7. Pour a thin layer of the ganache over the tops of the custards. (There may be some left over.) Chill for an additional four hours and serve with whipped cream on top.

Smitten Kitchen Buttermilk Biscuits

Just when you think you can't have enough biscuit recipes, then you make another one. I wouldn't have even blogged the recipe (thinking ok, ok I have enough) except that the Robber really liked these and... ok fine, they are pretty delicious. I will make something that is not from Smitten Kitchen eventually, but my cookbooks have been packed in boxes for years now, and I haven't the time to be more creative in internet browsing. And why would I when Deb does such a good job? We ate the biscuits with barbecue chicken and corn on the cob-- a perfect end of summer meal.

Notes: Deb states you can use cake flour for a more tender biscuit, and when I made these for the Robber I used half all-purpose and half cake flour and liked the result. I used 2 tsp. of sugar. I felt they tasted a little too much of baking powder, so I would half this or omit it in the future. Makes six large biscuits.

From Smitten Kitchen:
http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2013/03/my-favorite-buttermilk-biscuits/

Ingredients:

2 1/4 C. all-purpose flour, cake flour, or a mixture of the two
2 tsp - 1 1/2 T. sugar
1 T. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. (or less?) baking soda
9 T. chilled unsalted butter
3/4 C. buttermilk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Cover baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Combine dry ingredients in a medium size mixing bowl and using a pastry blender or form, work the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles a coarse meal.

3. Add buttermilk and stir until roughly moistened. Flour hands and knead the mixture in the bowl under it holds together.

4. Transfer the dough to your parchment paper-lined baking sheet and shape into a disc approximately 1/2 - 3/4" inch deep. Using a floured knife, cut the disc into six (or desired number) wedge shapes and space the wedges out evenly on the baking sheet.

5. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown on the top.

Ruggles Pie

I made this pie for the one month birthday of my little son Ruggles. The pie, like my Ruggles, is my own invention! Home grown. I'm sure there are other cranberry-cherry-lime pies out there (are there? I don't know) but this one I made up for Ruggles. It is based off of a little "tart" I made for Bob when I was pregnant with Ruggles. I hardly ever cooked or baked when I was pregnant, I just didn't have any desire to do so. No nausea, no food aversions... just no cooking bug. But with the few pies I did make, I started to make little "tarts" out of the left over dough instead of pie crackers-- the reason being that most pies really are better on the second day, but no one wants to wait that long to eat one, but if you make a little tart you can sate the desire to eat pie without actually eating the pie itself. And on one particular day I had some cherries in the fridge and, having never baked anything with cherries before, decided to give them a whirl. I must have had limes too, and we always keep frozen cranberries around, so I threw them all together into the little tart and it turned out quite delicious! I vowed one day to try and make a whole pie that way, and Ruggles' celebration seemed to be the perfect occasion. And the pie turned out quite well! I was very pleased with the result, and may not even tinker too much with this formulation in the future. Now that it is Ruggles' pie, he will be obligated to have this as his birthday treat and nothing else for the rest of his life.

The crust I used is a "cornmeal crust" and the recipe comes from the Luscious Little Dessert Company. I don't think you have to use a cornmeal crust, other crusts would be equally delicous, but in honor of the original Ruggles pie as it was baked and consumed you can find the pie crust recipe as below:

http://vegetabletuesdays.blogspot.com/2013/10/cornmeal-pie-crust.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/31/dining/that-photogenic-blueberry-pie.html

But first, pictures of the pie to whet your appetite:

Ingredients (for the filling):

16 oz (approx 3 C.) fresh or frozen cranberries

16 oz (approx 3 C.) fresh or frozen pitted sweet cherries (not cherry pie filling!)

2/3 C. brown sugar

1/3 C. white sugar

1/2 C. flour

1 very heaping tsp. cinnamon

1/16 tsp. ginger

Zest of 2.5 limes (2-3, whatever)

Juice of 2 limes (just however many you are zesting, 3 would be ok too)

Directions:

1. Combine all the dry ingredients and the lime zest in a mixing bowl. 

2. In a separate large bowl, stir together the cherries and the cranberries. You don't need to thaw them first or cut them up, although if you are using fresh cherries you should de-pit them which may involved halving the cherries. 

3. Pour the dry mixture over the fruit and combine thoroughly. Add in the lime juice and stir again until the berries are evenly coated with the dry mixture and the lime juice. You can either let the fruit sit for a while or use it immediately. Because the cherries/cranberries aren't that juicy, you don't need to "pre-bleed" the fruit like I will for other fruit pies to reduce the liquid content.

4. Add the filling to a large pie dish with one half of a crust in the bottom. Cover the filling with the top crust. Cut slits in the top to vent out extra steam-- this pie won't bubble much so you don't need a lot of slits or to put a pan under your pie plate in the oven. If desired, brush the top of the pie with buttermilk, milk or cream and top with raw (demerara) sugar.

5. Bake at 400 F for 20-25 minutes and then reduce the temperature of the oven to 350 F and bake for an additional 30-35 minutes or follow the instructions for your crust recipe and bake until the crust is golden brown and the fruit has softened (approx one hour).

Serve hot or cold with whipped cream or vanilla icecream, although the pie is not too strongly flavored that this is necessary. Enjoy and picture the cute, cute baby as above. Cheers, Ruggles!

Cornmeal Pie Crust

This pie crust comes from the Luscious Little Dessert Company in Yonkers, N.Y. by way of a "photogenic" blueberry pie in the New York Times. I first made it during my late-pregnancy insomnia (will blog about that, along with the blueberry pie recipe, later) and loved it-- more than the pie even which is one reason the crust is getting its own entry. The other reason is that I have subsequently used the crust as part of my "Ruggles pie." I don't think Ruggles pie is obligated to use this cornmeal crust, but in honor of the inaugural Ruggles pie, those seeking to replicate a true Ruggles pie will follow this recipe as well. There isn't much cornmeal in the crust, but what there is adds a little twist in the texture and the flavor that is truly delicious. I also find this pie dough surprisingly easy to work with, which coupled with its tastiness, makes it a keeper.

Note: I have blogged the volumes for the crust ingredients only in cups, tablespoons, etc. but for the purists out there, the weights in grams of the ingredients are available at the link below.

Available from the NYTimes here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/31/dining/that-photogenic-blueberry-pie.html

Ingredients:

2 1/2 C. all-purpose flour (plus extra for rolling out dough)

1/4 C. cornmeal

3 T. white sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

12 T. unsalted, chilled butter cut into small cubes

1/4 C. vegetable or butter shortening, chilled 

Ice-cold water

Directions:

1. Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar and salt together in a medium sized mixing bowl.

2. Add the butter and shortening to the flour mixture and cut in with a pastry blender or a fork until the fats are in pea-sized chunks.

3. Add ice water to the mixture 1 T. at a time by stirring the dough clockwise with a fork until the dough begins to form a ball (approx 8 T. water, but this varies. Use your best judgement). At this point, add 1/2 - 1 T. more water and using your hands shape the dough into a ball and then divide it into two discs, wrap the discs in plastic wrap, and refrigerate them for at least one hour.

4. Roll out using additional flour as needed. Bake first at 400 F for 20-25 minutes until crust just begins to brown, then decrease the oven temperate to 350 F and bake for an additional 30-35 minutes or as needed for the filling of your pie.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

Another comfort food for the Robber which he requested that his mother make for him when she came out to visit (she did make these). Nana used to make these a lot when the Robber was a wee lad, but had to stop when her seventh child had severe nut allergies. Still the Robber remembers them fondly, and jumped at the opportunity to have these in our non-nut restricted kitchen.

Ingredients:

For the bars:
1 C. flour
1 C. quick oatmeal
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 C. butter or margarine
1/2 C. sugar
1/2 C. brown sugar
1 egg
1/3 C. peanut butter
1/4 C. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 package (2 cups) chocolate chips

For the frosting:
1/4 C. powdered sugar
2 T. peanut butter
2-3 T. milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and grease a 9 x 9 glass pan.

2. In a small mixing bowl, combine flour, oats, baking soda and salt.

3. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and sugars until fluffy. Beat in eggs, peanut butter, milk and vanilla. Stir in the combined dry ingredients by hand.

4. Spread mixture in prepared pan and bake for 18-20 minutes. When bars are freshly out of the oven, sprinkle the chocolate chips on top and spread evenly as the chips melt.

5. For the frosting, combine all ingredients and blend thoroughly. Drizzle over the top of the melted chocolate and swirl while still melted if desired.

Cholesterol Pie

I think most families (except mine?) make this dessert, they just call it something different. In the case of the Robber's family they call it cholesterol pie and someone makes it for every major family event. The Robber himself loves it and when his mother came to visit and to help out with Ruggles last week, the Robber requested special that she make it for him. I ended up making it, in a grand gesture of support for the Robber and to allow Nana to spend more time with Ruggles and I think everyone was happier that way (see note on pecans below) but I think the future I will leave the making of this to the Rawles.

Writing Ruggles and "cholesterol pie" in the same paragraph hurts my heart a little, even if it is entirely hypocritical given that I exposed him to icecream in grand amounts during my whole pregnancy.

Notes: I added chopped pecans to the crust and toasted chopped pecans and some chopped dark chocolate chips to the top. The pecans to the crust were genius for the Robber and I felt the toppings were too, but the Robber scraped them off the top and then ate the rest. Hmmm. If I were making this again I would make a thicker cream cheese layer and remember that the crust is kind of crumbly, so you have to portion out the cream cheese layer for the spreading, not just plunk it down in the middle and spread it out from there.

Ingredients and Directions:

Layer 1

1 C. flour

1/2 C. butter or margarine

1/2 C. chopped nuts (not optional, pecans!)

Mix together and spread in a 9x13" glass pan. Bake at 350 F for 15-20 min.

Layer 2

8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature

1 C. powdered sugar

1 1/2 C. Cool Whip

Cream together and spread over cooled Layer 1.

Layer 3

1 large package instant chocolate pudding

2 1/2 C. milk

Beat together for 2 minutes and pour over Layer 2.

Layer 4

2 C. Cool Whip

Spread on top of pudding layer. If desired, sprinkle top with nuts, chopped chocolate, etc.