Pie Crust

Update: Here is the crust I now use: www.food.com/recipe/my-no-roll-pie-crust-51537

1 1/2 flour

1 t. salt

2 t. sugar

2 T. milk

1/2 c. oil 

• Mix dry ingredients together with a fork in a pie pan.
• Make a well in the center and add the oil and milk.
• Mix with a fork til it makes a ball.
• Flatten and press into the pan in pie crust shape and flute the edge.
• Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes until golden.
  
• One crust pie, excellent for cream pies and crumb topped baked pies.
• To make a two crust pie, I make the bottom and press into the pie plate. Then for the top crust just put it between wax or parchment paper and roll top crust out, pick up bottom of paper and flip on top of pie. Don't pre-bake the bottom for a 2 crust.  

Eggnog Cake

Anyone have eggnog still in the fridge?  Don't be shy.  Well, I do.  I searched around for a recipe that seemed to use the most eggnog.  Some recipes had only a couple of tablespoons.  That wasn't going to help.  Here's what I found. 

 

 

 

 

Eggnog Cake 

From https://www.lovefromtheoven.com/eggnog-cake

Serves 16

 

1 standard size box yellow cake mix approx 15 oz
1 3oz dry French vanilla (or vanilla) instant pudding mix approx 3 oz size box, flavors and brands will vary slightly
1 cup eggnog
4 eggs
1/3 cup canola oil (I used softened butter)
1 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup water (I used milk)
1 tsp vanilla extract

 

Glaze 

1/4 cup butter melted and cooled 

1/4 cup eggnog 

1/2 tsp vanilla extract 

1/4 tsp rum flavor extract optional 

1/2 tsp nutmeg 

2 cups powdered sugar (I used 3 cups)

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, combine yellow cake mix, dry French vanilla pudding mix, eggnog, eggs, canola oil, nutmeg, water and vanilla extract. Using a stand mixer or power mixer, mix until well combined, approximately two minutes. Use a rubber spatula to wipe down the sides of the bowl, making sure that your cake batter is thoroughly mixed.

Spray a Bundt cake pan generously with non-stick cooking spray. Pour cake batter into the Bundt cake pan. Bake for approximately 45-55 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool for approximately ten minutes. Invert cake onto a wire cooling rack to cool.

Allow cake to cool for at least another ten minutes. After ten minutes the cake can be transferred to a cake stand or plate. It’s a matter of preference as to whether you pour the glaze on your cake while it’s still warm, or wait for it to cool. I prefer to put the glaze on the cake while the cake is slightly warm.

To make glaze, combine glaze ingredients in a bowl and mix well to combine. This can be done by hand or with a mixer. Drizzle glaze over cake.

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Calories: 281kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 277mg | Potassium: 70mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 189IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 104mg | Iron: 1mg

 

It's the Stay Puft Marshmellow Man.

First of all, am I the only one that thought it was Stay Puff?  Anyway, I made fudge for Christmas and it turned out gritty.  The reason?  I used generic marshmellow cream.  Only use brand name when making fudge.  But that gritty fudge was a good excuse to make Marcel Desaulnier's Million Dollar Cookies.  These spread and are flat cookies on the crunchy side.  For thicker cookies that don't spread add more flour.  I would say about a cup but I haven't tested it.  

Marcel's Million Dollar Cookies
Makes 4 dozen cookies

4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsps. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 pound unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 pound light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
5 large eggs
2 tsps. pure vanilla extract
6 ounces white chocolate, melted
3 cups chopped pecans, toasted (toast on baking sheet 10 minutes at 350 degrees; cool before using)
1 pound semisweet baking chocolate, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces (I used cut up fudge)


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Sift the flour, baking soda and salt onto wax paper. Set aside until needed. Place the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle. Beat on medium speed for 6 minutes until smooth. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl, then continue to beat on medium 4 minutes longer, until very smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating on medium for 1 minute and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and beat on medium for 1 minute. Stop the mixer and add the melted white chocolate; beat on medium for 1 minute, until incorporated.

Gradually, using low speed, add the sifted ingredients, followed by the pecans and chocolate; mix for 1 minute until incorporated. Use a rubber spatula to finish mixing the dough. Using 2 heaping Tbs. of dough for each cookie (about 2 ounces), portion 6 cookies onto each of 2 non-stick baking sheets. Or use parchment paper or a Silpat liner. Bake on the top and center racks for 15-17 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to center about halfway through the baking time (also turn each sheet 180 degrees).
Let cookies cool on baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Per cookie: 276 calories, 3g protein, 30g carbohydrates, 1g fiber, 17g fat (8g saturated), 117mg sodium.

Broccoli Soup Mac and Cheese

I made a big pot of cream of broccoli soup (with a little cheese) using the stems of the plant.  (Note to self: next time follow the directions and peel the stems).  With 2 quarts of soup left over I had to think of something.  And I did.  

Broccoli Soup Mac and Cheese
Several servings 

2 quarts broccoli cheese soup
1 pound processed cheese
2 pounds of macaroni 
Milk as needed

Heat soup and add cheese until melted.  The soup was still to runny so I added 1 pound of the macaroni to the soup to cook.  I let it simmer for a bit then covered it and let it sit until cooked, about 30 min.  Meanwhile cooked the other pound according to directions.  Add to macaroni soup mixture.  The concoction ended up being to thick so then I had to add milk.  Next time, if there is one, I will cook all the pasta in water and add to the soup already cooked. 

Spoiled Cream

Costco had heavy cream on clearance in December and I bought some.  I managed to control myself and only bought 6.  Then I even gave 4 away.  Baby steps.  The cream was dated December 12th so you can imagine how it smells and tastes on March 24th.  I just whipped it into shape and beat it into butter. 

Spoiled Cream Cultured Butter

Heavy Cream
Salt to taste 
Bowl of ice water

Pour cream into a bowl.  I used a stand mixer since it takes so long and I had a half gallon of cream.  I covered the mixer with a towel to avoid the cream from splattering all over the kitchen.  This is a messy process.  

Beat on medium until cream starts to thicken then turn on high.  Keep beating until the whey starts to comes out of the solids.  It really starts to spatter at this point so turn down the mixer.  Scrape the sides as necessary.  Keep beating until the butter balls up.

Place butter in the bowl of ice water and knead it.  This will wash off the remaining whey.  Squeeze water out of butter.  I washed my butter in stages as I had almost 2 pounds.  Knead salt into butter on a cutting board.  I used 1 t. for a half gallon of cream. 

Rustic Peter Rabbit Tablescape

Chocolate Egg Shake

While everyone else is having shamrock shakes, I'm enjoying chocolate egg nog shakes.  Why?  Well I forgot I had egg nog from Christmas in the basement fridge and am just now getting around to it.  However, it seems I am not behind the times, I am ahead of the times as per my title.  My shake is not a chocolate egg nog but a chocolate egg shake. 

Chocolate Egg Nog Shake

4 oz water
4 oz egg nog
1 scoop high quality chocolate protein shake powder
1 1/2 cups ice

Add to blender in order.  Blend until smooth.  

Variation: use vanilla powder