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Monday, November 18, 2013

Pumpkin Cheese Cake


Let try something else for that Thanksgiving Dessert. A Pumpkin Cheese cake will go very well and no worry about the dark round circle on the Pumpkin Pie.Pumpkin is a must for Thanksgiving so let's put it on the table and serve it proudly.

Recipes

 How to make Graham Cracker Crust


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Making a graham cracker crust is so simple and quick that there is hardly ever a reason to buy store-bought. Just crush the crackers into crumbs, mix with melted butter, and bake. No fuss, no muss! You can even freeze the baked crusts so you have one on-hand for those times when you don't want to heat up the kitchen.


Graham Cracker Crust

Makes one 9-inch pie crust
What You Need

Ingredients
1 3/4 graham crackers
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 stick butter
3 tablespoon brown sugar
Equipment
Food processor OR a rolling pin and a plastic bag
9-inch spring pan
Instructions

1. Crumble the Graham Crackers: Break up the crackers and place them in the bowl of a food processor along with the sugar, if using. Pulse to break the crackers further and then process continuously until the crackers are crushed into fine crumbs. Alternatively, place all the crackers in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin until broken into fine crumbs. You should end up with about 2 cups total of graham cracker crumbs.
2. Combine with Butter: Transfer the graham crackers to a bowl. Melt the butter and pour over the graham crackers. Stir until the crumbs are evenly coated and look wet. The crumbs should hold together in a clump if you press them in your fist; if not, add water a tablespoon at a time until this happens.
3. Press into a Pie Pan: Heat the oven to 375° F. Pour the crumbs into a 9-inch pie pan and press them evenly along the bottoms and sides.

FILLING:

Place 3 boxes 8 oz cream cheese, 3 eggs and one yoke, 3 tablespoon flour, 1 1/2 cups sugar,1 can 15 oz pumpkin, and 1/4 cup sour cream. mix well together.





 NEXT: ADD SPICE: 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg. 1/8 teaspoon clover and 1 teaspoon cinnamon mix in mixture.

 Add to spring pan

Bake 1 hour let rest in pan for 15 mins

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Garlic Mashed Potatoes & Cauliflower


I am a veggie kind of a girl. I love all veggies and I will mix them up with others veggies and see what become of them. as always they taste great! I like seeing the faces when I serve them to family and friends. you're the same way try this recipe Garlic Mashed Potatoes & Cauliflower for Thanksgiving dinner...Be Bold! That's what cooking is all about.

Ingredients:

    4 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed

    3 cups cauliflower florets

    2 cloves garlic roasted

    1/2 cup whole milk and heavy cream

    1 stick butter

    salt and pepper to taste

    1/2 cup sour cream
   

Directions:

Potatoes put in 3-quart saucepan,Bring to a boil and cook until tender.



Cut the cauliflower into pieces





 and steam for 10-15 minutes, until tender.


  
Using a food processor or blender, adding roasted garlic, potatoes and cauliflower adding  in remaining ingredients until it is smooth.





making sure it look like mash potatoes. not too thin you can always at milk if too thick.

  

Saturday, November 9, 2013

Is It Stuffing Or Is It Dressing?



Every year my brother and I we will have the same conversation....Is it stuffing or is it dressing?   My Mom and Grandmothers, made their "dressing"  with the turkey, and we called it dressing. They would use  cornbread . Now I am making Stuffing with cornbread and dry white bread it is set away from the dressing in a dish. Call it what you must thanksgiving dinner wouldn't be complete without it! I am share two recipes one is simple a slow cooker style and the other is Cajun style. Making Thanksgiving stuffing or dressing is the way you want it to taste.

 
Simple Slow Cooker Style

    8-inch pan cornbread
    8 slices day old bread, toasted and cubed
    4 eggs
    1 cup chopped  onion
    1/2 c. chopped celery
    1 to 2 tsp. poultry seasoning
    1/2 tsp. black pepper
    2 cans cream of chicken soup
    2 tbsp. butter

Grease . Crumble cornbread into a large mixing bowl. Add all ingredients except the butter. Pour dressing mixture into the slow cooker and dot with butter. Cook on HIGH for 2 hours or on low 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours.

Cajun Cornbread Dressing

8-inch pan cornbread

8 slices day old bread, toasted and cubed

salt and black pepper to taste

½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon thyme

6 tablespoons cooking oil

1 ½ cups finely chopped onions

1 ½ cups finely chopped bell pepper

1 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 cup finely chopped celery

2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic


1 14 ½ oz. can chicken broth

1 12 oz. can evaporated milk

1 small can cream chicken soup

6 eggs, beaten

1 stick butter melted

 Add oil and veggies

and saute in a pan not to over cook and sat a side



Place bread in a large bowl




Adding the spices and herbs mixing well.

Mix milk,eggs,soup and broth together and add to bread stirring well


Add the veggies and blend lightly into the mixture. Next add melted butter and blend well.



Grease A baking dish and add mixture. Bake at 350 until golden brown about 30 minutes




Thursday, November 7, 2013

CHOCOLATE CAKE

CHOCOLATE CAKE

Everyone love a chocolate cake and I am truly one that love the icing and the rich chocolate taste that it bring to your mouth.that creamy taste of moist chocolate cake is very unforgivable. my kids will always say mum please make a chocolate cake. and I just could not say no because it was my favorite too.

Ingredients

2¼ cups all-purpose flour

¾ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder

1¾ teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

1½ cups sugar

1¼ cups mayonnaise

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Frosting

12 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped

¾ cup sugar

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

1 cup heavy cream

1½ cups (3 sticks) butter, room temperature

¾ teaspoon salt


Cake: Preheat oven to 325°. Lightly coat cake pans with nonstick spray and line bottoms with parchment


 paper; spray again.


Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.


Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat eggs and sugar until pale and doubled in volume, about 4 minutes.


Add mayonnaise and vanilla and beat until just combined.



With mixer on low speed, add dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with 1⅓ cups lukewarm water in 2 additions, beginning

 ending with dry ingredients.



 Scrape batter into pans, dividing evenly.


Bake cakes, rotating halfway through, until a tester inserted into the centers comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Transfer pans to wire racks and let cool 20 minutes before turning out onto racks. Let cool completely.

Frosting

  2 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar

  6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

  6 tablespoons butter

  5 tablespoons evaporated milk

  1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Directions

 In a medium bowl, sift together the confectioners' sugar and cocoa, and set aside.
In a large bowl, cream butter until smooth, then gradually beat in sugar mixture alternately with evaporate milk. Blend in vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy. If necessary, adjust consistency with more milk or sugar.

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Lemon Meringue Pie



I  have tried so many recipes for this pie and this is the best of all of them. My recipe is okay but I will not dare give it to you when you can get the best. MILE HIGH LEMON MERINGUE PIE, adapted from Martha Stewart Thank you folks at Martha Stewart kitchen.

Ingredients

1 Store Bought Pie Pastry
 
Lemon Filling
1 large egg
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/3 cup sifted cake flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups sugar
5 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons lemon rind
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Meringue
7 large egg whites
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions
Bake the pastry shell according to directions and allow to cool.
For the lemon filling, combine cornstarch, cake flour, salt, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Martha notes that this should be a nonreactive saucepan.  I only had one kind, and it turns out it was nonreactive.  Copper saucepans are, apparently, reactive.  Don’t use copper saucepans in this recipe.
 
Gradually add two cups of cold water and bring the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly.  This should take about four minutes.
Remove the nonreactive saucepan from the heat.  Pour a small amount of the hot mixture into the egg yolks to temper them and keep the lemon filling from becoming lemon-and-scrambled-egg filling, then add the eggs to the nonreactive saucepan.  Cook over low heat for five minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat again and whisk in the lemon juice and rind.  Add the butter one piece at a time, but in a fairly methodical manner while the mixture is warm enough to melt the butter.
When the butter is fully melted and absorbed into the mixture, pour it into a large bowl and let it cool.  Place wax paper directly on top of the  surface to prevent a skin from forming.
When cool, pour the filling into the pastry shell, cover with aluminum foil, and refrigerate for approximately one hour, until firm.
When the lemon filling is firm, make the meringue by combining the egg whites, sugar, and salt in a heat-proof bowl.  Set over a pan of simmering water and beat until warm and the sugar and salt are dissolved into the egg whites.
Remove bowl from heat and whip into stiff peaks.  This alone makes pre-stand mixer cooks who could make any kind of lemon meringue pie, much less a beautiful one, head and shoulders above all the rest of humanity.
 
Spread the meringue over the pie  so that it touches the crust all around.  This will, at least in theory, reduce the “weeping” that occurs (in which watery puddles form at the bottom of the pie pan after pieces are removed).  Using the flat part of a spatula, lightly tap all over the surface of the meringue to encourage well-intentioned, “it came out this way all on its own” peaks.
 
Broil until brown, approximately two minutes.  


Sunday, November 3, 2013

Chicken Stew And Dumplings



Ohhhhh My! ! ! Chicken Stew For Dinner Tonight...Yummy Tender Dumplings. My Granny cook the best tasting dumpling both ways flat ones and fat ones.It did not matter which ones she will prepared we was ready to eat them up with that good old chicken and veggie gravy.

My Grandmother Like Using Chicken Thighs In Her Chicken Stew.She Stated The Chicken Thighs Are More Richer And Give A Better Broth.

Ingredients

2 1/2 pounds chicken thighs

6 cups water

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

Black pepper To taste

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1 (10 ounce) package frozen peas

3 carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces

2 celery ribs, sliced

1 medium onion, cut into eighths

 DUMPLINGS

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons margarine

3/4 cold water

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley


Direction

Place chicken and water in a 5-qt. Dutch oven. Cover and cook over medium heat for 1 to 1-1/2 hours or until chicken is tender.

Remove fat.


Remove chicken from broth; allow to cool. Debone chicken and cut into chunks



Return to broth. Add next ingredients. Cover and cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Cooking by covering and cook for15 mins on med heat



FAT DUMPLINGS

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl


Cut in butter until mixture



Resembles coarse crumbs.


Stir in water and parsley.



Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls into simmering stew. Cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes.


Cover and cook for 5-10 minutes or until the dumplings are tender.






Monday, October 28, 2013

New York Style Cheese Cake (Martha Stewart Living)

This Recipe is the best and easy made cheese cake. I always use this one....It  is Martha Stewart recipe.I can't get glory for this recipe.

Ingredients

For the Crust

    12 graham crackers
    6 tablespoons butter, melted; plus more, room temperature, for pan
    2 tablespoons sugar
    Pinch of coarse salt

For the Cake

    3 1/2 pounds (seven 8-ounce packages) cream cheese, room temperature
    2 1/4 cups sugar
    1/2 cup all-purpose flour
    1 cup sour cream, room temperature
    1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
    5 large eggs, room temperature

Cook's Note
Include a teaspoon of lemon zest to your batter and add another dimension of flavor.
Directions

    Step 1

    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter the sides of a 10-inch springform pan. Wrap exterior of pan (including base) in a double layer of foil.
    Step 2

    To make the crust, process graham crackers in food processor until fine. Combine graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Transfer mixture to the pan and pat into an even layer using the bottom of a measuring cup or meat pounder. Freeze the dough in the pan, about 15 minutes. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake until the crust is firm to the touch and deeply golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
    Step 3

    In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down sides as needed.
    Step 4

    In a large bowl, whisk together sugar and flour. With mixer on low speed, gradually add sugar mixture to cream cheese; mix until smooth. Add sour cream and vanilla; mix until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just combined; do not over mix.
    Step 5

    Pour cream cheese filling into the prepared pan. Set pan inside a large, shallow roasting pan. Carefully ladle boiling water into roasting pan to reach halfway up sides of springform pan.
    Step 6

    Bake 45 minutes; reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Continue baking until cake is set but still slightly wobbly in the center, about 30 minutes more. Turn off oven; leave cake in oven with the door slightly ajar, about 1 hour. Transfer pan to a wire rack; let cake cool completely. Refrigerate, uncovered, at least 6 hours or overnight. Before unmolding, run a knife around the edge of the cake.

Thank you Martha.

When your cheese cake is cooling you can dress it up! Like it's Sunday Best....



Adding 10 or more holes on top of cheese cake making them 1 inch deep using the end of a wood spoon.

Adding 2 Chocolate morsels  in each hole push into the cheese cake
Adding Carmel on top of warm cheese cake spreading evenly.



Adding Toasted chopped pecan and more chocolate on top the cheese cake

Add more Caramel on top of toasted pecan and chocolate morsels


If you are filling Fruity slices fresh fruits on your cheese cake... starting Slicing!


By adding glaze to your fruit and topping your cheese cake will become a delightful treat!

http://foxriverdairy.com
This Glaze are fast setting jellies with a great gloss, that preserve the natural fruit color and brilliance of your pastries and keep them brilliant and fresh. Hero glazes are to be used directly out of the pail as glaze on cakes, oven-hot pastrie. This glazes is ready to use, directly out of the pail, cold or warm, even on oven-hot pastries. Certified kosher and that is a very good thang.