Pumpkin Pie & Mini Tarts

Here's to the pie eating, cider drinking, 

yuletide merry making season! 

 Pumpkin Pie and Mini Tarts

     from The Silver Palate Cookbook

     yields 2-9 inch pies or 1 large tart and 6 mini tarts

Pie Dough Ingredients

2 cups flour

½ tsp salt

12 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed

½ cup ice cold vodka

Directions
In a food processor combine the flour and salt. Add in cubes of butter and pulse until the butter is fully broken up and in small pieces.

Slowly pour the vodka in as you pulse. The dough will start to come together. 

Stop the food processor once most of the dough has formed into a ball.

Turn out on a floured surface, bring all together, form two balls, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour or longer.

Pie Filling Ingredients

3 eggs

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 cups canned pureed pumpkin

1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

½ tsp ground cloves

½ tsp ground allspice

¼ tsp cardamom

Pinch of salt

1 ½ cups evaporated milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Using an electric mixer, beat eggs and sugars together until light.

Stir in pumpkin puree, spices and salt and mix thoroughly. Stir in milk.

Roll out pastry on a lightly floured work surface, and line the 9 inch pie pans or tart pans, trim and crimp edges. Pour in the filing.

For  the pies and large tart, bake the pie at 450°F for 8 minutes, then reduce heat to 325°F and bake another 40-45 minutes, or until filing is set (a knife inserted in the center will come out clean.) 

For the small tarts, bake at 450°F for 8 minutes, then reduce heat to 325°F and bake another 25-30 minutes.

Cool completely before cutting. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

Enjoy your pumpkin tarts! Or pies!

Danke & Pecan Pie

Thanksgiving, our truly American holiday, has come and gone and what we have to show for it is packed refrigerators, full bellies, and the most important yet oft-overlooked feeling of thanks and gratitude for loving family and friends. 

My love for cooking and sharing holidays with others probably stems from the feeling of delight we get from eating together. It is just so much better when you have people to talk with and laugh at - I mean with - laugh with while eating. Eating alone can be depressing. And who wants to be depressed when pumpkin pie and stuffing are involved?
In our family and extended "second family" of friends there is a tradition of celebrating together on the Friday after Thanksgiving in what we have come to call "Thanks Again". We all bring a leftover dish and enjoy each other's company... and yummy spoils.
 

Hope you had a very Happy Thanksgiving and Thanks Again!

"You display the true marks of a Great Gourmande... 
which always includes the warmest and most generous natures... 
and is why people who love to eat are always the best people." - Julia Child

Sukey has her eye on the prize

My little sister and I were in charge of the Thanksgiving pies: two Pecan and two Pumpkin. Our traditional family Pecan pie recipe comes from the Silver Palate cookbook but we've found Alice Water's pie crust to  reign supreme. So, from the Sisters to you... 

Pecan Pie with Annie

     from The Silver Palate Cookbook

     serves 8-10

~ ~ ~

Pie Dough

     adapted from Alice Waters

     yields 2 crusts

Ingredients

2 cups flour

½ tsp salt

12 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed

½ cup ice cold vodka*

Directions

In a food processor combine the flour and salt. Add in cubes of butter and pulse until the butter is  fully broken up and in small pieces.

Slowly pour the vodka in as you pulse . The dough will start to come together. 

Stop the food processor once most of the dough has formed into a ball.

Turn out on a floured surface, bring all together, form two balls, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour or longer.

*The vodka is recommended by America's Test Kitchen for its ability to add more moister than water while leaving no trace of the alcohol. It works like a charm. 

~ ~ ~

Pie Ingredients

4 eggs

1 cup dark brown sugar

¾ cup light corn syrup

½ tsp salt

½ stick unsalted butter, melted

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups shelled pecans, chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Using a standing mixer, beat eggs. Add in brown sugar, corn syrup, salt, butter, and vanilla and mix together. Roll out pie dough on a floured surface. Make sure it is large enough for a 9-10 inch pie pan. Transfer to your pie pan, press lightly down, and flute the edges.

Sprinkle the chopped pecans into the lined pie pan. Pour filling over pecans. Arrange whole pecans decoratively along the edge of the filling or however you wish.

Bake pie on the middle rack of the oven for 10 minutes then reduce the heat to 325°F, baking for 25-30 more minutes. Remove from the oven when the filling is set.

Let cool to room temp and serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Well done, Little Miss!

Chicken and Chorizo Paella

Paella hails from Valencia, Spain. 

There are three types of paella: Valencian, seafood, and mixed. This combo, chicken and chorizo, most closely resembles Valencian paella with it's emphasis on vegetables and meat instead of seafood. 

What I love about paella is the dynamic flavors. Saffron, paprika, and cayenne are used to add some heat, and coloring. If you prefer different vegetables feel free to substitute. This dish is super easy, it just takes a little time to prep and chop. But it's paella so it's well worth the effort. 

Chicken & Chorizo Paella

     adapted from Life Made Simple

     *If you don’t have a paella pan use a large saucepan

Ingredients

¾ lb. chorizo, cooked (I used ground Mexican chorizo instead of sausage)
1 lb. chicken, cooked and diced
4 tbsp olive oil
4 saffron threads
2 cups Basmati white rice
4+ cups chicken broth
1+ tbsp garlic
1 yellow onion, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
4 small tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 cup thawed peas
Paprika
Cayenne pepper
Oregano
Salt & freshly ground black pepper 

Directions

Cook the chopped meat, starting with the chorizo, in a medium-large pan until brown. Empty pan, leaving only the run-off and fat, and add the chicken. Cook until just browned.

 

In a large saucepan over medium heat, pour 2 tbsp of olive oil into the pan and sprinkle in saffron threads. Heat until fragrant but do not burn the oil. Add garlic, onion, bell peppers, and tomato. Cook until soft, about 3-4 minutes.

Add the remaining olive oil and rice. Give a quick stir before adding the chicken broth. Bring mixture to a simmer then reduce heat. After about 10 minutes add chicken, chorizo, and peas.

Cook until the broth is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 5 minutes.  Stir occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan, if the rice is sticking add more chicken broth. It will be done cooking once the rice is fully soft.

Season with paprika, cayenne pepper, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Serve hot.

Serve with a salad and glass of wine and imagine you are in Spain!

Ginger Cookies

It officially feels like autumn in San Francisco. 

The light has changed, leaves are changing color, and the time for snuggling up with a coffee, book or movie, and a cookie has finally arrived. What cookie better suits this time of year than the ginger cookie? 

Ginger Cookies

     from The Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients

2¼ cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1½ tsp ground cloves

½ tsp ground nutmeg

½ tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp kosher salt

1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed

¼ cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup molasses

1 egg, at room temperature

1¼ cups crystallized ginger, chopped

Granulated sugar, for rolling the cookies

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line sheet pan with parchment paper or lightly spray with PAM.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Gently whisk together.

Using an electric mixer with paddle attachment, beat the brown sugar, oil, and molasses on medium speed for 5 minutes. Then turn mixer down to low, add the egg, and beat for 1 minute, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Beat again for 1 minute.

With the mixer still on low, slowly add in the dry ingredients, mixing until just fully incorporated. Add the crystallized ginger and mix until combined.

Scoop the dough with a small ice cream scoop, roll each cookie in a small bowl of sugar, transfer to cookie sheet, and gently press down.

Bake for 13 minutes. The cookies will be crackled on the top and soft inside. Let them cool on the sheet for 1-2 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Grab a couple cookies, a hot drink, a blanket, and settle in for a cozy afternoon treat.

Greek Panzanella

Panzanella is a Florentine salad. In true Italian fashion it contains tomatoes, basil, and a carb, in this case, bread. This is Barefoot Contessa chef, Ina's Greek twist on the Florentine salad.

Swap out the basil for cucumber and add in some feta and voila, Greek Panzanella! 

Greek Panzanella

     adapted from The Barefoot Contessa

     serves 6

Ingredients

Olive oil

1 small French baguette, cut into 1-inch cubes (6 cups)

Kosher salt

1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and sliced ¼-inch thick

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 yellow bell pepper, diced

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

½ red onion, sliced in half rounds

½ pound feta cheese, cut in ½-inch cubes

For the Vinaigrette

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp dried oregano

½ tsp Dijon mustard

¼ cup red wine vinegar

1 tsp salt

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

½ cup olive oil 

Directions

Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the bread cubes and sprinkle with salt. Toss frequently, for 5 to 10 minutes, until nicely browned. Add more olive oil as needed.

Place the cucumber, red pepper, yellow pepper, tomatoes and red onion in a large bowl.

For the vinaigrette, whisk together the garlic, oregano, mustard, vinegar, salt and the pepper in a small bowl. While whisking, add the olive oil and make an emulsion. Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables, lightly toss. Add the feta and bread and mix together lightly.

Set aside for 10 minutes for the flavors to blend. Serve at room temperature.

Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

The Chocolate Chip Cookie is my all-time favorite cookie. 

I had a recipe I used as my go-to but this version might change all that. 

The sea salt contrasts with the sweet cookie so nicely you'll think your taste buds are on drugs. 

Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
     adapted from The Bite Sized Baker 
     yields 3 dozen

Ingredients
2¼ cups flour

1¼ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp of salt

2 sticks unsalted butter

1¼ cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk

1½ tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp sour cream or Greek yogurt

¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

¾ cup dark chocolate chips

Coarse sea salt for sprinkling (I use Sal de Ibiza, a kind of fleur de sel and a great specialty salt to have on hand because it's very flavorful and delicate.)

Directions
Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.

Over a medium heat in a small saucepan, melt butter. The butter will begin to foam. Whisk consistently during this process. After 4-5 minutes the butter will begin to brown on the bottom of the saucepan. Remove from heat once the butter begins to brown and give off a nutty aroma. Transfer the butter to a bowl to prevent burning. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.

startend

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Beat in the egg, yolk, vanilla, and sour cream until combined.

Add the dry ingredients slowly and beat on low-speed until just combined. Fold in all of the chocolate chips.

Chill your dough for 1-2 hours in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Using a small ice cream scoop, scoop 12 balls of dough out onto a cookie sheet, lightly flatten the tops of the dough and sprinkle with the sea salt.

Bake the cookies 9-11 minutes or until the edges of the cookies begin to turn golden brown. They might look a little underdone in the middle, but will continue to cook once out of the oven. Cool the cookies on the sheet for a minute before transferring to wire rack. 

These are such good cookies, I can’t say it enough. 

Pour yourself a big glass of milk or cup of coffee and enjoy some delicious cookies.

Tomato Cobbler & Blue Cheese Biscuits

Before finding this recipe I was under the impression cobblers were solely desserts. How wrong was I?!

You'll be a believer after trying this recipe. The tomatoes are sweet and the biscuits are crumbly, not to mention how great it smells thanks to the onions and basil. I hope you enjoy it as much as my friends and I did!

Tomato Cobbler with Blue Cheese Biscuits 

     recipe from Joy the Baker

     serves 4-6

Ingredients

For the Biscuits

2 cups flour

2 tbsp baking powder

1 tbsp granulated sugar

½ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

3 tbsp unsalted butter, cold and cubed

3 tbsp vegetable shortening, cold and cubed

½ cup blue cheese crumbles

¾ cup cold buttermilk

For the Filling
2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp unsalted butter

2 large onions, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 pounds cherry tomatoes

¼ cup coarsely chopped basil

3 tbsp flour

½ tsp red pepper flakes

salt & pepper

Directions

To make the biscuits, whisk flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt together. Add cold butter and shortening.  

Using your fingers, rub the fats into the dry ingredients until incorporated, butter pieces will be small, peas size and smaller. Add in blue cheese crumbles. Stir to incorporate.

Create a small well in the center of the flour mixture, pour in the buttermilk and using a fork, and quickly mix everything together. Lightly flour a work surface and knead the dough 10 times, forming a disk.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until the filling is assembled.

For the filling, add olive oil and butter to a medium pan over medium heat, add the onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook onions, stirring occasionally, until caramelized. It will take 15-20 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Remove pan from heat and stir in balsamic vinegar, set aside.

In a large bowl, stir tomatoes, basil, flour, and red pepper flakes together. Add caramelized onions and lightly toss all together. Season with salt and pepper.
Preheat oven to 375°F. 
Pour the tomato and onion filling into a square or rectangular baking dish; I used a 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake tomatoes filling for 25 minutes.

Remove the biscuit dough from the fridge.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough into a ¾ to 1-inch thickness. Use a 2-inch round cookie cutter/biscuit cutter.  Remove the partially cooked filling from the oven and carefully place 6 biscuits atop the tomato filling. Brush biscuit tops with butter or buttermilk and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Freeze left over dough for more biscuits.
Return filling and biscuit dough to oven and bake for 18-20 minutes, until the biscuits are golden brown and cooked through, and the tomato mixture is bubbling.
Remove from the oven, cool for 10 minutes before serving.

We are so ready to eat we can't contain ourselves!

Good Eats & Drinks

Indulging my sweet tooth, or carb tooth, has been a struggle since high school. I like food. As my interest in cooking and baking grew I took more notice of what I was eating. What has truly helped me is preparing my own meals. It makes a huge difference in controlling what kinds of foods I eat and it's fun. Win win. 

However, you need to let loose occasionally and have that delicious looking ice cream sundae or that famous hamburger and fries. Everything in moderation, right? 

Here are some of my suggestions for indulging that sweet and/or savory tooth...

Clockwise from top left: 

Pink's Hots Dogs, Los Angeles, http://www.pinkshollywood.com/pgz/greeting.html

Gimlets at Rickhouse, San Francisco, http://www.rickhousebar.com/

Midnight treats from Rudy's Can't Fail Cafe, Oakland, http://iamrudy.com/

Belgium beers at The Monk's Kettle, San Francisco, http://www.monkskettle.com/

Shopping at Pike Place Market, Seattle, http://pikeplacemarket.org/

Wine tasting at Melrose Market, Seattle, http://www.melrosemarketseattle.com/

San Tung's Restaurant, San Francisco, http://www.santungrestaurant.com/

Coffee Cookie Dream sundae at Fentons Creamery, Oakland, http://www.fentonscreamery.com/

My favorite spot to eat and drink, Suppenkuche Biergarten, San Francisco, http://www.suppenkuche.com/welcome.html

As my friend (see previous entry) & idol Jacques Pepin would say, happy cooking! (and eating!)