Caramel-Pecan Cheesecake Pie

A stand-out recipe from National Pie Day Party 2013.   

    1 pie pastry* (I used the recipe below)

    1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

    1/2 cup sugar

    4 eggs

    1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    1-1/4 cups chopped pecans

    1 jar (12-1/4 ounces) fat-free caramel ice cream topping**

In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, 1 egg and vanilla until smooth. Spread into pastry shell; sprinkle with pecans.

In a small bowl, whisk remaining eggs; gradually whisk in caramel topping until blended. Pour slowly over pecans.

Bake at 375° for 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned (loosely cover edges with foil after 20 minutes if pie browns too quickly).

  

Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight before slicing.

**Can use this recipe instead (I did)

[size=3]Caramel In A Can (Dulce de leche)[/size]

 1.You will need one un-opened can of sweetened condensed milk with the paper taken off.

 2. Place the unopened can in a crock-pot. Completely submerge the unopened can in water.

 3. Cook on the crock-pot's 'low' setting for 8 - 10 hours (lid on).  (I did two cans, as this was the first time I tried this technique. I felt 8 hours wasn't long enough, even though I started out with hot water in the crockpot. So I re-processed the second can for several hours more. The second can is the one I used in the pie.)

 4.Cool down the unopened can in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Cooling the can is the key. I cooled mine at room temp and left it there for several days, unopened. It was just fine.

Buttery Crunch Crust

*I chose this crust recipe, rather than a plain crust as the recipe suggested. It was a very good decision.

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

In a medium bowl, mix together pecans, sugar, and flour. Stir in melted butter or margarine.

Reserve 1/2 of the mixture for topping the pie, and then press the rest evenly into a 9 inch pie pan. Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown. Allow crust to cool before filling.

Red Velvet Cake

This is the most MOIST red velvet cake I have ever had. Take your choice of two different frostings. The Buttercup Bakeshop Icing is FANTASTIC.

CAKE BATTER

- 2 c flour

- 1 tsp baking powder

- 1 tsp salt

- 1 tsp cocoa powder

- 3/4 c vegetable oil

- 1 1/2 c sugar

- 2 eggs

- 1 oz red food coloring

- 1 c buttermilk

- 1 tsp baking soda

           

- 1 tsp vinegar

- 1 tsp vanilla extract

CAKE TOPPER

- 3/4 c milk

- 1/2 c sugar

CREAM CHEESE ICING*

- 8 oz cream cheese, softened

- 1 tsp vanilla extract

- 1/4 c butter

- 1 box powdered sugar

- 3/4 c coconut

1.   Mix sugar and oil. Add eggs one at a time and mix well after each. Stir in vanilla and vinegar, add food coloring. Mix till blended.

2.   Stir baking soda into buttermilk and add to mixture.

3.   Add flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa. Mix Well.

4.   Bake in 2 greased 8” round cake pans, or a 9x13” pan, at 350° for 30 minutes.

5.   While the cake is cooking, place ¾ cup milk and ½ cup sugar in saucepan and heat to dissolve sugar. When cake is done, remove from oven; pour hot dissolved sugar over the hot cake while still in pans. Allow to cool and remove from pans.

6.   Mix all icing ingredients well and frost cake.

*Choose either the cream cheese icing or this one, which is my personal favorite.

Buttercup Bakeshop Red Velvet Icing

2 cups milk
6 T. flour
2 cups COLD unsalted butter
2 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla

Whisk to combine in a heavy-bottomed pan, the milk and flour. Stir constantly over medium-low heat, until smooth and thick (about 12-18 min.) Let mixture cool. Stir frequently so it doesn't form a skin on top. If it should, remove it and discard. While cooling, use an electric mixer on medium-high speed to beat the cold butter and sugar until fluffy, 4-5 minutes. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. The long beating is what makes this so light and fluffy. Add the vanilla. Add the cooled cooked mixture, one third at a time. Beat well after each addition. Beat another 3 minutes until it is like whipped cream.

This frosting is just out of this world. Good to use on other cakes as well. Do not refrigerate the cake. This frosting does not need refrigeration, nor will it be as good if you do.

NOTE:

This cake tastes better the second day after frosting. Keeps well covered at room temp.

Peanut Butter, Sweet Potato, and Winter Squash Soup

4 lbs. sugar pumpkin or acorn squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1" pieces
1 lb yams, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
4 Tbs unsalted butter
5 cups Winter Consomme, recipe follows
1 tsp Vege-Sal seasoning (can sub plain salt)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup unsalted sugarless peanut butter
1/2 cup sour cream, room temp (optional)
2 scallions, chopped

In a large pot of salted water, boil the pumpkin and sweet potatoes over high heat until both are tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well. Puree the mixture until smooth.

In 5-qt Dutch oven or soup kettle, melt butter over medium heat. Add the puree. Gradually stir in consomme, Vege-Sal, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and simmer, stirring often, about 15 minutes to blend flavors.

Whisk peanut butter with 1 cup hot soup. Stir this back into pot of soup. Heat until just heated throughout. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of scallions.

Winter Garden Vegetarian Consomme

This also tastes great just sipping it on a cold day. Makes about 2 quarts.

2 med onions, chopped
2 celery ribs with leaves,chopped
2 med carrots, chopped
2 med Russet potatoes, scrubbed but unpeeled, cut into 2" pieces
1 whole head garlic, unpeeled, halved horizontally
2 sprigs parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp peppercorns
2-1/2 qts water

Inn a 5-qt soup kettle, bring all ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 2-1/2 to 3 hours. (Don't boil or the potato may fall apart and cloud the consomme.) Carefully spoon the consomme and its vegetables through a sieve set over a large bowl. Cool the broth completely; cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Freezes well.

Ginger Custard Ice Cream

A very refreshing ice cream.

1/2 lb fresh ginger, peeled and sliced paper-thin
2 cups water
2-1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 envelope plain unflavored gelatin
2 cups milk, chilled
1/8 tsp salt
2 large eggs, separated, at room temp
1 cup half and half
1 cup heavy cream

In a small saucepan, bring the ginger and water to a simmer over low heat. Cook, covered, until the ginger is quite soft, about an hour. You may need to add more water. Process the ginger and cooking liquid in a blender until smooth.

Return the ginger puree to the saucepan. Gently cook until it reduces to 1/4 cup, about 10 minutes. Stir in 3/4 cup of the sugar and cook, stirring often, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is quite thick, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over 1/4 cup of the cold milk. Let stand for 5 minutes.

In heavy saucepan, combine remaining 1-3/4 cups milk, 1-1/2 cups sugar, and salt. Bring just to a low simmer. 

Beat the egg whites just until stiff peaks form.

Whisk yolks until thickened and pale yellow. Gradually whisk in the hot milk mixture. Return to the saucepan and whisk in the egg whites. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches 170 degrees on the thermometer. Remove from heat; add gelatin mixture. Whisk until dissolved. Whisk in reserved ginger jam. Using a wooden spoon, rub the mixture through a fine-meshed strainer to remove the ginger fibers. Stir in half and half.

Whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Whisk this into ginger custard. Chill at lest 4 hours. Freeze according to you ice cream maker's directions.

Rum-Baked Sweet Potatoes

This is a great sweet potato recipe if you don't want that gooey-sweet concoction we usually associate with candied sweet potatoes.

6 medium sweet potatoes, peeled

1/3 cup butter

1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar

2/3 cup dark rum

1/3 cup fresh orange juice

3/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Place the potatoes in a large pot of lightly salted boiling water. Cover and boil for 15 to 20 minutes, or until still slightly firm when pierced with a fork. Drain and cut each sweet potato into quarters. Place them in a single layer in a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Set aside.

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat; add the brown sugar, rum and orange juice. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to break up any lumps of sugar. Reduce the heat and simmer for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened and slightly caramelized. Stir in the allspice.

Drizzle the rum mixture over the sweet potatoes. Gently turn the potatoes in the glaze to coat all sides. Season with salt and pepper. (You can prepare to this point as much as a couple of days ahead.) Bake 20-25 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly and the potatoes are heated through and tender.

Makes 12 servings.

Chopped Mexican Salad with Roasted Peppers, Corn, Tomatoes, and Avocado

Chopped salads can mostly be made a few hours ahead, with components stored separately; then arranged and dressed at the last moment before serving. Goes very nicely with Tortilla Soup.

It's no secret that chopped salads require a good bit of - you guessed it- chopping. But the nuances of flavor and texture you'll get with each bite will more than reward you for the time spent at the cutting board. It's a good idea to use a sharp knife, one that's comfortable for you. Chop the ingredients into small dice, keeping the size roughly uniform for all, which makes the salad both visually appealing and easy to eat (big cubes or chunks can be awkward). Serves twelve.

1 large orange, red, and yellow bell peppers

2 ears fresh corn

1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Sweet cherry tomatoes, cut into fourths (about 1-3/4 cups)

1 small jicama, cut into ¼” dice (about 2 cups)

2 large firm avocados, cut into ¼” dice (about 2-1/2 cups)

1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained, rinsed

¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

2-3 heads hearts of romaine, chopped small

Honey Lime Cumin Vinaigrette

1 small clove garlic

Kosher salt

3 Tbsp fresh lime juice

3 Tbsp fresh orange juice

2 tsp finely chopped shallot

2½-3 Tbsp honey, to your taste (I used about 3 Tbs)

3/4 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and finely ground*

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

Roast the peppers and corn:

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat oven to 425°. Line a heavy duty rimmed baking sheet with foil. Cut the peppers in half lengthwise and remove the stem, seed core, and ribs. Put the pepper halves on the baking sheet, cut side down. Husk the corn and put the ears on the baking sheet. Drizzle the oil over the peppers and corn and rub it around to coat the pepper skins and corn kernels evenly. Sprinkle the corn with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven until the peppers are soft, slightly shriveled and browned and the corn kernels are lightly browned in a few spots, about 20 minutes (rotate the corn occasionally as it roasts).

When the vegetables are done, let them rest until cool enough to handle. Scrape away the pepper skin and cut the flesh into 1/2-inch dice. Cut the corn kernels from the cob. You should have about 1-1/2 cups kernels.

Make the vinaigrette:

Mince and mash the garlic to a paste with 1/4 tsp salt. In a medium bowl, whisk the garlic paste with the lime and orange juices, shallot, honey and toasted ground cumin. Slowly add the oil in a thin stream, whisking until well blended. Season to taste with black pepper and more salt and honey, if you like.

Assemble the salad:*

Artfully arrange the peppers, corn, tomatoes, jicama, avocadoes and black beans in stripes or piles on a small platter or other wide shallow serving dish. Sprinkle with the chopped cilantro. Serve the vinaigrette in a pitcher. Invite guests to spoon elements of the salad onto their plates and drizzle on some of the vinaigrette. Or drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad platter just before serving.

*I tossed it all together in a large bowl, with the dressing, and served it that way. I think salads taste better when tossed with the dressing, rather than drizzling the dressing over the individual salads.

Make ahead:

You may chop all the salad ingredients up to 4 hours ahead and store them separately covered in the fridge. Put the avocado pits in the bowl with the cut up avocado, to prevent browning.

*You need a Mexican lava rock type of mortar and pestle to grind the roasted cumin seeds. If you don’t have one, just used ground cumin.

Tortilla Soup

Okay, this is a must make recipe if there ever was one. Carolyn McFarland is a bridge friend from Whittier (and who, by the way is the best cook I know . . . and I know lots of them). Anyway, she gave me this recipe a few years ago and I promptly put it in the cupboard alongside several other recipes I had on a recipe card. Out of sight, out of mind . . . until yesterday when I cleaned out the cupboard. Chicken soup was on the menu this week so I decided to put this one to the test. It's a knock-out if there ever was one!!!

NOTE: The chili powder you use makes a big difference in the outcome. Some chili powders are more potent than others. Gerhardt is a good choice. McCormick's is too spicy, so you may have to alter the amount you use.

4  boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1  large  onion, chopped
6  corn tortillas, cut in 1/2" squares
6  cloves  garlic, chopped
2 - 3 Tbs oil
2  qts  chicken broth
1  can  (28 oz)  chopped tomatoes
1  can  (7 oz)  chopped Ortega chilies
1  bag  (16 oz)  frozen corn (I like white corn)
1  Tbs  cumin
2  Tbs  chili powder
Salt and pepper, to taste

Toppings:
Chopped green onions
Grated pepper jack cheese
Chopped fresh chilies, optional
Cilantro
Flour tortillas (cut into 1/8" strips and fry in oil until crisp)


Poach the chicken breasts in water until just done. Try not to over-cook them, as it dries them out (and they will cook another 20 minutes later). Drain, cut into chunks and set aside.

Saute onion in oil until tender, but not browned. Add garlic and corn tortilla squares. Saute briefly. Add chicken broth, chopped tomatoes, Ortega chilies, frozen corn, chicken chunks, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Simmer about 20 minutes. Top with the toppings and serve.

We didn't serve fresh chopped chilies, as we used pepper jack cheese. The recipe just called for chopped cheese, not specifying any particular kind. But the pepper jack was just perfect.