Rustic Blueberry Apple Galette

This recipe was created on a whim. I just wanted to bake something original but didn't know what...so after looking through my pantry and fridge this is what I came up with. I think it turned out beautiful! 

Pastry dough (I used my homemade pie crust recipe)
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 apple cut into small cubes
1/2 cup sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch
zest of one lemon
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
pinch of salt

 Pie Crust Recipe

1 cup flour

1/2 cup chilled butter cut up in cubes

 1/4 tsp salt

 1/4-1/3 cup tepid water

 2 tsp white vinegar

Make pie crust and set aside (or store in fridge while you mix fruit mixture)
Combine all the filling ingredients in a medium sized bowl stirring well to make sure all the sugar and cornstarch coats the fruit evenly. Set aside while you roll out pastry dough. Roll out into about a 10 inch circle and place on baking sheet. Pour fruit mixture in the center and fold up the edges of dough. (it's rustic, so it doesn't need to be perfect) Brush edges of dough with an egg wash (one beaten egg, and brushed on) then sprinkle with raw sugar. Bake @ 375 degrees for about 45-50 minutes or until beautiful golden brown! Let rest before slicing.You can substitute whatever fruits you like...wouldn't a Pear Galette be delicious!?

Sneaky Delicious Chocolate Pie

I am a type 1 diabetic and have been for 20 years now. I LOVE to bake sweets and treats of all kinds but I rarely get to eat them. (and feel super guilty when I do) So this recipe is for me!! Zero sugar, low carb, only about 130 calories a slice...and SO silky delicious!! One secret ingredient...don't be scared...TOFU!! But you'll never know it's in there! I made a few changes from the original recipe and you can make whatever changes you like that suits you! 

1 pkg of silken or firm tofu (about 13 oz) I like the firm better for this recipe

2 tsp cocoa powder

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 tbsp almond milk (any milk will work here)

1/8 tsp salt

10 oz. sugar free chocolate chips (yes! somebody must have made these just for me! and thank you!) you can use regular chocolate chips if you aren't too concerned about it being completely sugar free.

2 tbsp agave nectar, (or sweetener of choice)

Prepared pie crust...I even found a sugar free graham cracker crust! Somebody out there loves me!

Melt the chocolate either over a double broiler or in the microwave. Then throw all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Pour into a prepared pie crust and chill. The longer it sits in the fridge the more it firms up. Can you even taste the tofu??? I didn't think so!!!!

Homemade Cheez-It Crackers

So I've come across a few different recipes for these Cheez-It crackers and thought I should give it a whirl... They are so much better than the kind you buy in a box at the store! Flaky, crispy, and super tasty! A snack that you and your kids will love! There are many different ways you can switch them up too. Here is a basic recipe to start!

1 cup flour

 8 oz. cheddar cheese (you could use a pepper jack cheese, parmesan, or colby jack. This is where you can really have fun with it!)

4 tbsp cold butter

3/4 tsp salt

 1/4 tsp paprika 

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (totally optional. if you want no heat, leave it out!)

Cold water

*Make them Italian & add some Italian herbs & use Parmesan for your cheese* Oh Yeah!!

Combine all ingredients in a food processor, or you can do it by hand with a pastry blender. Mix until crumbly. Add cold water, 1 tbsp at a time until the mixture forms into a dough. (around 2-3 tbsp water) Form into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour. I was too impatient to wait an hour so I stuck mine in the freezer for about 20 minutes and it worked like a charm! Divide the dough into 2 pieces and roll each out to about 1/8 inch on a floured surface. Cut into little squares with a sharp knife or dough cutter. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet. Poke a little hole in the center of each cracker (a chopstick works well) Sprinkle crackers with some coarse salt and bake at 375 degrees for 15-17 minutes or until the edges are browning and centers are puffed. Watch carefully so you don't cross that fine line between golden delicious & burnt. Remove from baking sheet to cool. Scrum-didilly-umptious!!

Pasteis De Nata

 

These are a Portugese pastry that I made for my friend Luisa who is from Portugal. They are sinfully delicious! I hope they have the taste that she is looking for! (if you don't want to make the pastry you can just but buy a puff pastry at your local supermarket)

Pastry

• 2 cups all-purpose flour , plus more for rolling
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 10 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter , cut into 1/4 inch cubes
• 5 -7 tablespoons ice water

Custard

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 ½ cups heavy cream
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 6 egg yolks 
• 2 tsp fresh lemon zest
• 1 tsp vanilla 

Directions:

1. Make the pastry.
2. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, pulse the flour, salt and sugar to combine.
3. Add the butter and pulse until the flour resembles coarse, uneven cornmeal, about 10 1-second pulses.
4. Drizzle 5 tablespoons of the ice water over the mixture.
5. Pulse several times to work the water into the flour.
6. Add the remaining water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and continue pulsing until the mixture develops small curds.
7. Turn the dough out onto a work surface, shape it into a disc and cover with plastic wrap.
8. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
9. On a lightly floured surface, roll half the dough to 1/16-inch thickness.
10. Cut out 6 (4 1/2-inch) circles.
11. (If you don't have a cookie cutter, a wide-mouth jar works well.) Ease the dough circles into a 12-cup (4-ounce capacity) nonstick muffin tin, pressing out any overlapping folds.
12. Repeat with the remaining dough.
13. Place the tin in the freezer for 5 minutes.
14. Remove and trim any overhang with the back of a knife so that the pastry cups are flush with the top of the tins.
15. Line dough cups with cupcake papers and fill with dried beans or pastry weights.
16. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 8 to 10 minutes to set.
17. Make the custard.
18. Dissolve the cornstarch in 1/4 cup of the cream in a medium bowl.
19. Add the remaining cream and sugar, & lemon zest, stir until the mixture is smooth and the sugar dissolves.
20. Check for sugar granules with a spoon; none should remain.
21. In a small bowl, blend the yolks with a fork until smooth.
22. Add the yolks to the cream mixture, stirring gently to combine.
23. Ladle the egg mixture into the partially baked pastry cups, filling to 2/3 capacity.
24. Bake in at 350°F (180°C) until the edges of the custard are puffed and middle is still jiggly, about 20 to 25 minutes.
25. (The custard will continue to cook.) Cool completely in the tin.
26. The pastéis are best when eaten the same day.

French Dip

 I came up with this recipe about 10 years ago and have been making for my family since. It is one of their most favorites! This is one that I do not follow a recipe for so forgive me if the measurements are not exact. It's always a little of this and a little of that kinda recipe, but I'll do my best!

4-6 pound chuck roast (you can use another type if roast, but I like the chuck)

1 yellow onion

2-3 garlic cloves

1 can cream of mushroom soup+1 can of water

a couple tbsp of beef paste or beef boullion cubes or 1 packet of dry Lipton beefy onion soup mix (I use whatever I have in my pantry for this)

Olive oil

Salt & Pepper

2-3 tbsp soy sauce (I like the reduced sodium but I don't think it matters)

 1-2 fresh sprigs of rosemary, don't used dried here.

Any kind of hoagie rolls you like. 

Provolone cheese slices

First generously season roast with salt & pepper. In a large roasting pan brown roast on all sides over med-high heat. Add onion, garlic, soup, water, and beef seasoning. Cover and roast in oven @ 325-350 and cook about 4 1/2 hrs. Or until meat is super tender. Sometimes I will throw in some sliced carrots for the last hour of cooking. YUMM! So once meat is tender carefully remove and place in another roasting pan or any pan large enough and shred or pull the meat. Also take out all the onions and set aside with the meat. (carrots too if you added them) Reserve all the juices in the pan for your Au Jus. Place the reserved juices over the stove and heat over med-low heat. (it's already hot from the oven, we're just heating it enough to dissolve more beef boullion/beef paste) So add more beef boullion 1-2 cubes, or another tbsp of beef paste. Add about 1-2 cups water. Pour in your soy sauce and rosemary sprigs. (for a stronger rosemary flavor you can coarsley chop the rosemary first) Simmer on low about 20 minutes. While it's simmering you can assemble your sandwiches. Slice rolls, fill with meat on one side, cover meat with cheese and butter the other side since we are going to broil the sammys. Broil under your broiler watching closely till golden brown. Usually only takes about 2-3 minutes so don't walk away!! Serve sandwiches with Au Jus sauce for dipping. I like to serve these along with some roasted root vegetables. Hope you enjoy as much as I do!!

Pina Colada Cupcakes with Coconut Buttercream Frosting

I LOVE coconut! & I LOVE pineapple! Here is a real tropical treat that everybody loves!

Pina Colada Cupcakes

1 box yellow cake mix
1/3 cup veg or canola oil
1/4 cup water

1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
3 eggs
1 tsp coconut extract
1 tsp rum extract
shredded coconut (garnish)

Heat oven to 375 degrees, and fill muffin tin with paper liners.
In a large bowl, beat cake mix, oil, water, 1 tsp rum extract, the pineapple w/juice, & eggs with an electric mixer. Scrape down sides and mix on medium speed for 2 min. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. (makes 24)
Bake 14-19 min, or till toothpick comes out clean. Prepare frosting while cupcakes cool.

Buttercream Frosting
3/4 cup butter softened
1/4 cup shortening ( I like the butter flavored )
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 lbs powdered sugar (for coconut frosting, add 1 tsp rum extract & 1 tsp coconut extract)

Combine all in a mixer alternating the powdered sugar and the milk. Mix to frosting consistency & pipe onto cupcakes. Top each cupcake with shredded coconut.

Cinnamon Bun Popcorn...

Do you like Cinnamon Buns? Do you like Popcorn? How about putting the two together?! This is a popcorn treat that you won't be able to resist! Sweet, crunchy, with a hint of warm cinnamon and caramel...Oh me oh my!!

12 cups popped popcorn (carmel seed kernals are the best for this if you can find them)

1 cup pecan halves roughly chopped

1 cup brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 cup corn syrup

1 stick butter (1 cup)

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp baking soda

4 ounces almond bark; roughly chopped (vanilla is fine)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees- Place popcorn and chopped pecans in a large bowl, set aside. In a 2 liter size microwave safe bowl, combine brown sugar, & cinnamon. Chop butter into chunks (yes chunks is my cooking term here) & place on top of sugar mixture. Pour corn syrup over top of everything. Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Stir to combine. Microwave again for 2 minutes. Stir-and microwave 2 minutes more. Remove from microwave & add vanilla & baking soda; stir to combine. Mixture will foam & rise. Pour caramel mixture over popcorn & pecans. Stir till well coated. Spread evenly on a baking sheet. Bake in oven 30 minutes stirring every 10 minutes. Remove from oven & spread evenly out onto waxed paper on counter space. Melt almond bark & drizzle evenly over popcorn. Allow to dry then break popcorn into chunks. Be careful not to eat it all at once...it's very addicting!! Hope you enjoy my friends!!