One of my husband's cousins gave me this cookbook, which has a lot of information about each dish. This kugel is very sweet, but very good!
I made this version (I left out the raisins), but a note says you can substitute 1 (18-ounce) can of crushed pineapple, with juice, for the applesauce.
1 pound wide egg noodles
1/2 cup unsalted butter
6 large eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups or a 1-pound jar applesauce
2/3 cups sugar
1 small can (6 ounces) frozen orange juice concentrate, defrosted but not diluted
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Preheat over to 350. Cook noodles until tender, but not soft, about 8 minutes (they will cook more in the oven). Drain noodles, place them back in the warm pot and add the butter, stirring until it is melted. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until well combined.
Transfer mixture to a 2-quart rectangular glass baking dish. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until some of the noodles on the top have turned deep brown and the pudding has set.
The Mensch Chef or Why Delicious Jewish Food Isn't an Oxymoron, Mitchell Davis, 2002
Showing posts with label apples. Show all posts
Showing posts with label apples. Show all posts
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Passover Sweet Apple Kugal
2 cups matzah farfel
water to cover farfel
2 eggs, beaten
6 T. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
3 T. shortening
2 cups grated apples
1/4 c. chopped nuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover farfel with water and drain. In a bowl, mix farfel, eggs, sugar, salt, shortening, apples and nuts. Bake in greased dish at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Congregation Beth El Sisterhood cookbook (2003), Bethesda, MD
water to cover farfel
2 eggs, beaten
6 T. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
3 T. shortening
2 cups grated apples
1/4 c. chopped nuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover farfel with water and drain. In a bowl, mix farfel, eggs, sugar, salt, shortening, apples and nuts. Bake in greased dish at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Congregation Beth El Sisterhood cookbook (2003), Bethesda, MD
Friday, September 25, 2009
yet more decadence
I don't know why Chicken Salad always looks and tastes decadent, it's easy to make, and a great way to get rid of leftovers.
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
marjoram
salt & pepper
about 1 1/2 cups red seedless grapes, cut in half
2 green onions, minced
half an apple, cubed
3 tbsp mayonaise
1/2 tbsp lemon juice
a little bit of fresh minced tarragon
salt & pepper
optional: few tbsp chopped pecans
spice the chicken breasts with salt, pepper & a little marjoram, and bake, covered, at 350 for 20 minutes, or until done. cool the chicken.
when cool, chop or shred, and mix in bowl with all other ingredients. let chill for at least one hour and adjust seasonings before serving.
I know alot of people like celery in this dish for the crunch factor, but I didn't have any celery in the house, and wasn't in the mood for it anyways. the apples give a really nice crunch, but we'll have to see how they survive in the fridge overnight. Here's hoping i don't have a bowl of mush tomorrow morning.
the husband's guess is that Chicken Salad has a reputation for decadence because once upon a time it was considered "hotel food" - a luxury. well, I bet hotels and restaurants love the stuff, because it lets you use up a bunch of stuff that would go bad otherwise.
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
marjoram
salt & pepper
about 1 1/2 cups red seedless grapes, cut in half
2 green onions, minced
half an apple, cubed
3 tbsp mayonaise
1/2 tbsp lemon juice
a little bit of fresh minced tarragon
salt & pepper
optional: few tbsp chopped pecans
spice the chicken breasts with salt, pepper & a little marjoram, and bake, covered, at 350 for 20 minutes, or until done. cool the chicken.
when cool, chop or shred, and mix in bowl with all other ingredients. let chill for at least one hour and adjust seasonings before serving.
I know alot of people like celery in this dish for the crunch factor, but I didn't have any celery in the house, and wasn't in the mood for it anyways. the apples give a really nice crunch, but we'll have to see how they survive in the fridge overnight. Here's hoping i don't have a bowl of mush tomorrow morning.
the husband's guess is that Chicken Salad has a reputation for decadence because once upon a time it was considered "hotel food" - a luxury. well, I bet hotels and restaurants love the stuff, because it lets you use up a bunch of stuff that would go bad otherwise.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Rosh Hashanah Feast
Passover is my favorite holiday, followed by Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. I'm usually planning a weeks worth of Passover food upwards of a month in advance, but Rosh Hashanah is just one feast meal, so the planning might begin a week ahead, maybe a few days again. I gotta say, sometimes the planning and the cooking is more fun than the eating.
Traditional Rosh Hashanah food is based on the phrase "May you have a sweet year. May God inscribe you in the book of life". So lots of sweet foods (for a sweet year), hand shaped foods (for the Hand of God that inscribes you in the book of life), round foods (for the never ending circle of life), lots of apple and honey, sweetened bread, fruit filled meats and sweet sauces. Having had apples and honey and apples and honey and bread and honey as the "Rosh Hashanah snack" my entire childhood, it was time for apples and honey and bread, just not in the same bite.
For any Jewish Holiday involving food, you gotta have Challah. Just a few minor changes to a regular Challah make it extra sweet and pretty for Rosh Hashanah.
Rosh Hashanah Challah (makes One Challah)
1 pkg dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 egg + 1 egg white for later
1/8 cup honey
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 oil
2 - 3 cups flour
1/2 cup raisins, soaked in warm water for half hour, then drained
dissolve yeast in the water, with a little bit of honey. let sit 10 minutes or until frothy. beat one egg in a large bowl, then add honey, salt & oil and beat again. now add yeast mixture, and mix well. Add the flour, a little at a time, you shouldn't need all of it, until a soft dough forms. flour your hands, and knead the dough for about 10 minutes, adding more flour if it gets too sticky to handle. put a few drops oil in the bowl, and turn dough to coat. cover, and let rise in a warm place for 2-3 hours. after first rise, punch down, and knead the raisins into the dough.
Sabbath Challah is braided, and Rosh Hashanah Challah is round. Grease a cookie sheet, and pull the dough into a long rope, one end being fatter than the other. put the fat end in the middle of the cookie sheet, and wrap the rope around it. If it resembles a cinamon roll when you're done, you did it right. cover, and let rise for one more hour. half hour before your going to bake the bread, preheat the oven to 400. right before baking, brush the top of the loaf with egg white. bake at 400 for about 30 minutes, or until top is browned.
Let cool completely before eating. Eat hot bread and you'll get a tummyache!
CousCous Stuffing
I wanted to do a stuffed turkey, but i didn't want to go the normal route of stuffing, and i wanted some sweet and filling in there. I also have an unholy love for fried onions.
1 onion
pinch sugar
2 cups prepared CousCous (make it with broth, not water)
1/4 cup chopped dried cherries
5 or 6 chopped dried dates
3-4 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp dried marjoram
1 tsp dried cardamom
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
salt & pepper
Slice the onion, and fry in a little oil over medium heat. add the sugar if you want, it will help the onion color faster. after onion is fried and browned to your satisfaction, blend all ingredients and refridgerate at least one hour. after an hour, taste and add more spices as needed.
that's gonna go great in this delicious fruity
Apricot glazed Turkey
Whole Turkey
Apricot preserves- how much you need depends on how big the bird is
salt & pepper
tarragon
olive oil
A little like the famous Bacon Wrapped Turkey Roll, but i didn't feel like deboning the Turkey. make sure the Turkey is completely thawed! put cotton stuffing bag in the cavity, and gently stuff with cooled stuffing. close bag, use toothpicks to keep the opening closed. flip the bird breast up, and gently pull the skin away from the flesh, pulling towards the spine. If your able to pull the skin away from the legs as well, that's even better. Don't completely pull the skin off, it's going to be the "blanket" to keep all the moisting and flavors in. rub the flesh with oil, and season with salt and pepper. brush with apricot preserves and tarragon. now fold the skin back over, and secure down with toothpicks. rub oil over the skin, and season with more salt & pepper. cover with foil, and bake at 350 approx 15 minutes per pound. check with a meat thermometer before you eat it! Not sure how long to cook your turkey, or how to know when it's done? call your Mom or Grandma, they'll know. And they'll be really proud of you for cooking a whole turkey!
Sides:
Sweet Potatoes w/Honey soy glaze
I got this out of a Japanese Cookbook from the library a few years ago. and you just can't go wrong with sweet potatoes.
4 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1/4 olive oil
salt
3 tbsp honey
1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp dried ginger
toss potato peices in a bowl with oil and some salt. pour onto a greased rimmed cookie sheet, and roast at 350 for 30 minutes, or until edges are browning. drizzle sauce over, and broil for a minute or two (beware of smoke!! Our smoke alarm almost went off!).
Green Beans with breadcrumbs
Had this at a friends house, and it was love at first bite. Cuz ya'll know I love greenbeans!
1 lb green beans
oil
1 tbsp italian breadcrumbs
saute green beans in oil over medium heat. you want to get a little browning on 'em. when they are bright green with bits of charring, they're done. takes about 8 minutes. combine in a bowl with the breadcrumbs, serve immediately.
Dessert was the deliciously magnificient Cardamom Apple Cake. Again, what a pain in the nect to make, but so delicous it's worth it. we had it with strawberries on the side.
So that was the Rosh Hashanah feast, and it was beyond delicious. Can't wait till Thanksgiving!
Traditional Rosh Hashanah food is based on the phrase "May you have a sweet year. May God inscribe you in the book of life". So lots of sweet foods (for a sweet year), hand shaped foods (for the Hand of God that inscribes you in the book of life), round foods (for the never ending circle of life), lots of apple and honey, sweetened bread, fruit filled meats and sweet sauces. Having had apples and honey and apples and honey and bread and honey as the "Rosh Hashanah snack" my entire childhood, it was time for apples and honey and bread, just not in the same bite.
For any Jewish Holiday involving food, you gotta have Challah. Just a few minor changes to a regular Challah make it extra sweet and pretty for Rosh Hashanah.
Rosh Hashanah Challah (makes One Challah)
1 pkg dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 egg + 1 egg white for later
1/8 cup honey
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 oil
2 - 3 cups flour
1/2 cup raisins, soaked in warm water for half hour, then drained
dissolve yeast in the water, with a little bit of honey. let sit 10 minutes or until frothy. beat one egg in a large bowl, then add honey, salt & oil and beat again. now add yeast mixture, and mix well. Add the flour, a little at a time, you shouldn't need all of it, until a soft dough forms. flour your hands, and knead the dough for about 10 minutes, adding more flour if it gets too sticky to handle. put a few drops oil in the bowl, and turn dough to coat. cover, and let rise in a warm place for 2-3 hours. after first rise, punch down, and knead the raisins into the dough.
Sabbath Challah is braided, and Rosh Hashanah Challah is round. Grease a cookie sheet, and pull the dough into a long rope, one end being fatter than the other. put the fat end in the middle of the cookie sheet, and wrap the rope around it. If it resembles a cinamon roll when you're done, you did it right. cover, and let rise for one more hour. half hour before your going to bake the bread, preheat the oven to 400. right before baking, brush the top of the loaf with egg white. bake at 400 for about 30 minutes, or until top is browned.
Let cool completely before eating. Eat hot bread and you'll get a tummyache!
CousCous Stuffing
I wanted to do a stuffed turkey, but i didn't want to go the normal route of stuffing, and i wanted some sweet and filling in there. I also have an unholy love for fried onions.
1 onion
pinch sugar
2 cups prepared CousCous (make it with broth, not water)
1/4 cup chopped dried cherries
5 or 6 chopped dried dates
3-4 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp dried marjoram
1 tsp dried cardamom
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
salt & pepper
Slice the onion, and fry in a little oil over medium heat. add the sugar if you want, it will help the onion color faster. after onion is fried and browned to your satisfaction, blend all ingredients and refridgerate at least one hour. after an hour, taste and add more spices as needed.
that's gonna go great in this delicious fruity
Apricot glazed Turkey
Whole Turkey
Apricot preserves- how much you need depends on how big the bird is
salt & pepper
tarragon
olive oil
A little like the famous Bacon Wrapped Turkey Roll, but i didn't feel like deboning the Turkey. make sure the Turkey is completely thawed! put cotton stuffing bag in the cavity, and gently stuff with cooled stuffing. close bag, use toothpicks to keep the opening closed. flip the bird breast up, and gently pull the skin away from the flesh, pulling towards the spine. If your able to pull the skin away from the legs as well, that's even better. Don't completely pull the skin off, it's going to be the "blanket" to keep all the moisting and flavors in. rub the flesh with oil, and season with salt and pepper. brush with apricot preserves and tarragon. now fold the skin back over, and secure down with toothpicks. rub oil over the skin, and season with more salt & pepper. cover with foil, and bake at 350 approx 15 minutes per pound. check with a meat thermometer before you eat it! Not sure how long to cook your turkey, or how to know when it's done? call your Mom or Grandma, they'll know. And they'll be really proud of you for cooking a whole turkey!
Sides:
Sweet Potatoes w/Honey soy glaze
I got this out of a Japanese Cookbook from the library a few years ago. and you just can't go wrong with sweet potatoes.
4 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1/4 olive oil
salt
3 tbsp honey
1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp dried ginger
toss potato peices in a bowl with oil and some salt. pour onto a greased rimmed cookie sheet, and roast at 350 for 30 minutes, or until edges are browning. drizzle sauce over, and broil for a minute or two (beware of smoke!! Our smoke alarm almost went off!).
Green Beans with breadcrumbs
Had this at a friends house, and it was love at first bite. Cuz ya'll know I love greenbeans!
1 lb green beans
oil
1 tbsp italian breadcrumbs
saute green beans in oil over medium heat. you want to get a little browning on 'em. when they are bright green with bits of charring, they're done. takes about 8 minutes. combine in a bowl with the breadcrumbs, serve immediately.
Dessert was the deliciously magnificient Cardamom Apple Cake. Again, what a pain in the nect to make, but so delicous it's worth it. we had it with strawberries on the side.
So that was the Rosh Hashanah feast, and it was beyond delicious. Can't wait till Thanksgiving!
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
small post Passover wrap up
Passover is over, we've restocked the pantry, and now I can't find my list of all the yummy passover things I made. But I have promised myself I will get all my passover friendly recipes together and put them all in one 3 ring binder so I don't have to go searching for them next spring.
I did find these two still on the refridgerator printed off from some random website, and they were tasty.
Spinach & Potato Casserole - difficulty level - Easy.
3 good size white potatoes, or 6 good size red potatoes
20oz frozen spinach, defrosted and drained
3 green onions, chopped
1 sweet pepper, diced
8 to 12 oz ricotta cheese
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt & peper
1 cup shredded cheese
4 matzah sheets
preheat oven to 400 and bake potatoes till tender, about 45 minutes. Cool, peel and slice potatoes into 1/4” slices. Reduce oven temp to 350. In medium bowl, mix spinach, green onions, sweet pepper, ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and season w/salt & pepper. Wet the matzah under running water until pliable but not falling apart. Grease the bottom of a baking dish and put the first sheet of matzah as the bottom layer. Put down ¼ of the spinach mixture, then a layer of potatoes, followed by some shredded cheese. Continue making layers until you run out of ingredients, and make the top most layer shredded cheese.
Bake for 35 minutes, until cheese on top is bubbly. Wait a few minutes before serving, so it can firm up, and cut into squares for serving.
Cheese wise, we used up the fontina that was in the fridge, and it was awesome. My matzah didn't quite fit into the baking dish I used, so I ended up farfelling some of it, and it still worked fine.
And now for some dessert . . .
Cardamom Apple Cake – difficulty level is a little harder. You'll need a food processor, an electric mixer of some kind, and nearly every bowl in the house.
½ cup matzah meal
1 cup chopped or slivered almonds (see note below)
½ tsp salt
1 tsp cardamom
5 large eggs at room temperature and separated
1 cup sugar
2 granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and grated
few tablespoons powdered sugar
preheat oven to 350 and grease a baking dish. Use a springform pan if you've got one (I don't). Pulse almonds in food processor until finely chopped, then add matzah meal, salt and cardamom and pulse some more until finely ground. Don't go too far,you don't want paste.
Beat egg yolks in a bowl until smooth then add ¾ cup sugar a little bit at a time. Keep beating until mixture is thick and pale. Stir in the nut mixture then the apples. In another bowl, beat the whites until you get stiff peaks. Beat in the remaining ¼ cup sugar a little at a time, keeping your stiff peaks. Fold a little of the egg white mixture into the egg yellow mixture to blend, then quickly fold in the rest of the whites. Scrape all batter into baking dish and bake for 40-45 minutes until top is browned and springy. Remove from oven, sprinkle top with powdered sugar, and let cool completely. The cake will puff, then sink a little.
This apple cake is the messiest, most involved dessert I've made in a long time. And you know what? It was so good it was worth the mess. It is not gluten free by any means, but you would never know it wasn't made with flour. Slivered almonds are insanely expensive! I bought the cheapest bulk whole almonds I could find, and chopped them by hand before they went into the food processor, and it was fine.
I did find these two still on the refridgerator printed off from some random website, and they were tasty.
Spinach & Potato Casserole - difficulty level - Easy.
3 good size white potatoes, or 6 good size red potatoes
20oz frozen spinach, defrosted and drained
3 green onions, chopped
1 sweet pepper, diced
8 to 12 oz ricotta cheese
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt & peper
1 cup shredded cheese
4 matzah sheets
preheat oven to 400 and bake potatoes till tender, about 45 minutes. Cool, peel and slice potatoes into 1/4” slices. Reduce oven temp to 350. In medium bowl, mix spinach, green onions, sweet pepper, ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and season w/salt & pepper. Wet the matzah under running water until pliable but not falling apart. Grease the bottom of a baking dish and put the first sheet of matzah as the bottom layer. Put down ¼ of the spinach mixture, then a layer of potatoes, followed by some shredded cheese. Continue making layers until you run out of ingredients, and make the top most layer shredded cheese.
Bake for 35 minutes, until cheese on top is bubbly. Wait a few minutes before serving, so it can firm up, and cut into squares for serving.
Cheese wise, we used up the fontina that was in the fridge, and it was awesome. My matzah didn't quite fit into the baking dish I used, so I ended up farfelling some of it, and it still worked fine.
And now for some dessert . . .
Cardamom Apple Cake – difficulty level is a little harder. You'll need a food processor, an electric mixer of some kind, and nearly every bowl in the house.
½ cup matzah meal
1 cup chopped or slivered almonds (see note below)
½ tsp salt
1 tsp cardamom
5 large eggs at room temperature and separated
1 cup sugar
2 granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and grated
few tablespoons powdered sugar
preheat oven to 350 and grease a baking dish. Use a springform pan if you've got one (I don't). Pulse almonds in food processor until finely chopped, then add matzah meal, salt and cardamom and pulse some more until finely ground. Don't go too far,you don't want paste.
Beat egg yolks in a bowl until smooth then add ¾ cup sugar a little bit at a time. Keep beating until mixture is thick and pale. Stir in the nut mixture then the apples. In another bowl, beat the whites until you get stiff peaks. Beat in the remaining ¼ cup sugar a little at a time, keeping your stiff peaks. Fold a little of the egg white mixture into the egg yellow mixture to blend, then quickly fold in the rest of the whites. Scrape all batter into baking dish and bake for 40-45 minutes until top is browned and springy. Remove from oven, sprinkle top with powdered sugar, and let cool completely. The cake will puff, then sink a little.
This apple cake is the messiest, most involved dessert I've made in a long time. And you know what? It was so good it was worth the mess. It is not gluten free by any means, but you would never know it wasn't made with flour. Slivered almonds are insanely expensive! I bought the cheapest bulk whole almonds I could find, and chopped them by hand before they went into the food processor, and it was fine.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
thanksgiving, parts III and IV
I really just don't want thanksgiving to end. It's like autumn Passover for me, except you can eat anything you want. I didn't make any desserts for our actually thanksgiving meal, but have been doing the pumpkin thing since. If i was a real foodie, I'd have gone out and bought a bunch of expensive sugar pumpkins, and roasted and pureed them myself. apparently i'm not a good foodie, since i buy canned pumpkin. it's good and available. and it's time for dessert.
a few months ago a friend brought this to a potluck, where I begged and pleaded for the recipe. Yes, it's that good. and easier than it looks to make. I lowered the sugar a little from her original recipe, and upped some of the spices.
N's Pumpkin Apple Bread
makes 2 loaves
3 1/4 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cloves
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp allspice
1 can pumpkin puree (about 16 oz)
1 3/4 cups sugar
4 eggs, lightly beated
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large baking apple (such as gala or granny smith), peeled, cored and diced
cinnamon sugar topping
4 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp flour
1 tbsp butter, room temp
2 tsp cinnamon
for the topping combine all ingredients with a fork to form a crumbly mixture. set aside.
preheat oven to 350. grease and lightly flour two 9x5 loaf pans. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt and allspice. In another large bowl, mix the pumpkin, sugar, eggs and oil. Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and blend well, then fold in the apples. The batter should be very wet. Divide the batter evenly between the two loaf pans, and smooth the tops flat. sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture on top. bake at 350 for about an hour. when a knife or toothpick comes out clean, it's done. let cook in pans for about 15 minutes, then finish cooling them on wire racks.
We've been using the Joy of Cooking Pumpking Pie recipe for years, and I was never quite happy with it. the custard never seemed to firm up quite right, and it was just too much pumpkin puree to not enough flour and egg binder. Martha Stewart dot com to the rescue! Again, i upped her quantities of spices, and used my brand new, totally awesome ceramic pie weights for the best crust ever.
Better Pumpkin Pie
Makes One Pie
one pie crust fitted to a 9" pie plate
2 large eggs
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1 heaping tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp cardamom
1 can pumpkin (15-16 oz)
1 cup half and half
form crust to pie plate, and refridgerate for about an hour. preheat oven to 350. Line pie crust with wax paper or foil, and gently fill with pie weights or beans. Bake for about 20 minutes at 350. Remove crust from oven, and carefully remove lining and pie weights.
in a large bowl, mix eggs, sugar, vanilla, salt spices, and pumpkin. when well blended, add half and half, and mix again. pour into warm pie crust, and bake till set, about 1 hour. Cool on wire rack at room temperature, and do not refridgerate until fully cooled.
this recipe is simpler, faster, and better than the joy of cooking. Joy of Cooking, you make me sad!
Been getting a LOT of reading done lately, but I'll torture you with that another time.
a few months ago a friend brought this to a potluck, where I begged and pleaded for the recipe. Yes, it's that good. and easier than it looks to make. I lowered the sugar a little from her original recipe, and upped some of the spices.
N's Pumpkin Apple Bread
makes 2 loaves
3 1/4 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cloves
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp allspice
1 can pumpkin puree (about 16 oz)
1 3/4 cups sugar
4 eggs, lightly beated
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large baking apple (such as gala or granny smith), peeled, cored and diced
cinnamon sugar topping
4 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp flour
1 tbsp butter, room temp
2 tsp cinnamon
for the topping combine all ingredients with a fork to form a crumbly mixture. set aside.
preheat oven to 350. grease and lightly flour two 9x5 loaf pans. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt and allspice. In another large bowl, mix the pumpkin, sugar, eggs and oil. Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and blend well, then fold in the apples. The batter should be very wet. Divide the batter evenly between the two loaf pans, and smooth the tops flat. sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture on top. bake at 350 for about an hour. when a knife or toothpick comes out clean, it's done. let cook in pans for about 15 minutes, then finish cooling them on wire racks.
We've been using the Joy of Cooking Pumpking Pie recipe for years, and I was never quite happy with it. the custard never seemed to firm up quite right, and it was just too much pumpkin puree to not enough flour and egg binder. Martha Stewart dot com to the rescue! Again, i upped her quantities of spices, and used my brand new, totally awesome ceramic pie weights for the best crust ever.
Better Pumpkin Pie
Makes One Pie
one pie crust fitted to a 9" pie plate
2 large eggs
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1 heaping tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp cardamom
1 can pumpkin (15-16 oz)
1 cup half and half
form crust to pie plate, and refridgerate for about an hour. preheat oven to 350. Line pie crust with wax paper or foil, and gently fill with pie weights or beans. Bake for about 20 minutes at 350. Remove crust from oven, and carefully remove lining and pie weights.
in a large bowl, mix eggs, sugar, vanilla, salt spices, and pumpkin. when well blended, add half and half, and mix again. pour into warm pie crust, and bake till set, about 1 hour. Cool on wire rack at room temperature, and do not refridgerate until fully cooled.
this recipe is simpler, faster, and better than the joy of cooking. Joy of Cooking, you make me sad!
Been getting a LOT of reading done lately, but I'll torture you with that another time.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
i love apples.
have you been to your local apple orchard yet? no? why not? apple orchards are fun, and filled with apple trees, which are in turn, filled with apples and soon to be apple cider. and all sorts of other yummy things you can make with apples. and when the weather starts to turn cold, and you get your winter coat out of the closet for the first time in 6 months, and you put your sandals away for the winter, what's better than warm apple anything? hmmm. . . not much.
Mom's Apple Crisp (with minor modifications made by yours truly)
5 crisp apples (I like Gala)
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
6 tbsp (3/4 stick) cold butter
1/3 cup oatmeal (not the instant kind)
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
preheat oven to 350. peel and core apples, then slice thinly. layer the apple slices with half the nuts in a greased 8x8 baking dish or other caserole of similar volume. sprinkle lemon juice on the apple slices as you are layering them. the layers should come about 3/4 up the sides of the dish.
in a bowl mix the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and ginger. cut the cold butter into small peices, then cut it into the flour mixture with a pastry blender. cut until coarse crumbs form. gently mix in oatmeal and remaining nuts. sprinkle mixture over apples. bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes, until apples are tender, and topping is crisp.
apple crisp, like many other foods, go well with a good books. goes even better with books, plural.
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay - not at all what I expected, but incredible, and well, amazing. Teenaged cousins Joe and Sammy start out as many teenagers do - convinced that they are invincible, and that their dreams will come true. well, dreams do come true, just not the way you expected. and what you thought you wanted isn't really what you want. This happens to be a book about two Jewish cousins in New York City in the 1930s, and the next 15 years of their lives. but that's not what it's about at all. I don't mean to be vague, and any readers who enjoy the surface story for what it is will enjoy their time, but if you can see just a little deeper in the kaliedescope, you'll get knocked on your ass before you know what hit you.
i need to write a better review. . . . something more substantial.
these next two are MUCH easier:
Coraline, by Neil Gaiman - very cute, very quick. the "we only have time for a short bedtime story because my TV show is starting" version of Meiville's Un Lun Dun (which I enjoyed more). I give Gaiman credit for the buttons thing, that was beautifully creepy. . . but the rest? I've seen him do better, so this kind of felt cheap and lazy.
Deathnote volume I, by Tsugumi Ohba - this series has been out for a few years ago, so i was happily surprised to find it in the library. Basic plot is creepy, but fun - a death god accidentally drops his notebook, his "Deathnote" on earth, where it ends up in the hands of Light Yagami, a typical high school student (Ok, what's with all the Japanese characters named "Light"?). Light now has the power of the book - if he writes a name in the book and thinks of a person, the person dies. Excited about the idea of a new world order, Light goes about killing criminals and terrorists. When the police catch on that something funny is happening, famed Detective L is put on the case. Light is oddly nonchalant about his killing spree abilities, and Ryuk, the original owner of the deathnote is entertained and amused by the whole situation. Seriously, something this freaky should not be this entertaining.
Currently reading Between the Rivers, by Harry Turtledove. I was sitting in on a Sunday School class the other week, and the teacher was talking about the Garden of Eden. God made Adam, Adam was lonely, so God made Eve. He told them they could eat of any tree in the Garden of Eden except the tree of Knowledge. they could do anything but seek knowledge? What kind of a God wants stupid followers? that's when my husband put this Harry Turtledove book in my hands.
Mom's Apple Crisp (with minor modifications made by yours truly)
5 crisp apples (I like Gala)
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
6 tbsp (3/4 stick) cold butter
1/3 cup oatmeal (not the instant kind)
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
preheat oven to 350. peel and core apples, then slice thinly. layer the apple slices with half the nuts in a greased 8x8 baking dish or other caserole of similar volume. sprinkle lemon juice on the apple slices as you are layering them. the layers should come about 3/4 up the sides of the dish.
in a bowl mix the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and ginger. cut the cold butter into small peices, then cut it into the flour mixture with a pastry blender. cut until coarse crumbs form. gently mix in oatmeal and remaining nuts. sprinkle mixture over apples. bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes, until apples are tender, and topping is crisp.
apple crisp, like many other foods, go well with a good books. goes even better with books, plural.
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay - not at all what I expected, but incredible, and well, amazing. Teenaged cousins Joe and Sammy start out as many teenagers do - convinced that they are invincible, and that their dreams will come true. well, dreams do come true, just not the way you expected. and what you thought you wanted isn't really what you want. This happens to be a book about two Jewish cousins in New York City in the 1930s, and the next 15 years of their lives. but that's not what it's about at all. I don't mean to be vague, and any readers who enjoy the surface story for what it is will enjoy their time, but if you can see just a little deeper in the kaliedescope, you'll get knocked on your ass before you know what hit you.
i need to write a better review. . . . something more substantial.
these next two are MUCH easier:
Coraline, by Neil Gaiman - very cute, very quick. the "we only have time for a short bedtime story because my TV show is starting" version of Meiville's Un Lun Dun (which I enjoyed more). I give Gaiman credit for the buttons thing, that was beautifully creepy. . . but the rest? I've seen him do better, so this kind of felt cheap and lazy.
Deathnote volume I, by Tsugumi Ohba - this series has been out for a few years ago, so i was happily surprised to find it in the library. Basic plot is creepy, but fun - a death god accidentally drops his notebook, his "Deathnote" on earth, where it ends up in the hands of Light Yagami, a typical high school student (Ok, what's with all the Japanese characters named "Light"?). Light now has the power of the book - if he writes a name in the book and thinks of a person, the person dies. Excited about the idea of a new world order, Light goes about killing criminals and terrorists. When the police catch on that something funny is happening, famed Detective L is put on the case. Light is oddly nonchalant about his killing spree abilities, and Ryuk, the original owner of the deathnote is entertained and amused by the whole situation. Seriously, something this freaky should not be this entertaining.
Currently reading Between the Rivers, by Harry Turtledove. I was sitting in on a Sunday School class the other week, and the teacher was talking about the Garden of Eden. God made Adam, Adam was lonely, so God made Eve. He told them they could eat of any tree in the Garden of Eden except the tree of Knowledge. they could do anything but seek knowledge? What kind of a God wants stupid followers? that's when my husband put this Harry Turtledove book in my hands.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Steampunk Apple Pie
i think i'm a little overloaded on cyberpunk. speaking of, go check out my review of Stross's Glasshouse. That book seriously scared the crap out of my. pshychological thriller on crack. nice.
time for some "steampunk". kinda scifi, but only with steam powered technologies. apparently, i've been digging steampunk for some years now, it just never dawned on me that Fullmetal Alchemist (just picked up volume 4, btw!), Tim Power's The Anubis Gates, most China Meiville, most Miyazaki stories, and plenty of other stuff i thoroughly enjoy fell under the umbrella of steampunk. It's like hard scifi, minus the headache.
and yes! I am back from the library! gots me a copy of William Gibson & Bruce Sterling's The Difference Engine. Supposedly this is those two doing steampunk. It's not like Gibson or Sterling to dissapoint, so i'm excited. also nabbed a few Cowboy Bepop and Tokyo Babylon manga. that damn shojo Tokyo Babylon. . . it's dumb and cheesy, but i want to see what happens, and see if those two stupid boys hook up already. and speaking of boys with fashion sense, when is the library going to get copies of Paradise Kiss? it looks fashionably awesome. and cheeky.
i'm also into my ARC of Jackie Kessler's Hell's Belles. It's tagged as "paranormal romance". it's fun, funny, and unexpected. Not heavy, or earth shattering or magical, just very funny, and very fun. a good vacation read. Review to soon show up on Mutiverse Reviews.
i'm hungry. and i got pie crusts "resting" in the fridge, for this wine tasting party thingy we're going to tomorrow. one of them pies is gonna be filled with apples! and cinammon! and lots and lots of sugar! mmm mmm good! like porn, but way tastier. and with calories.
here's the secret apple pie filling recipe. you can use the frozen pie crusts from the grocery store. or you can wait till next time, when i give you the secret for the most incredible pie crust ever.
2 pie crusts - at room temperature, cuz your pie's gonna be covered.
6 apples - any combination of golden delicious, gala, or fuji (these seem to work the best).
3/4 cup sugar
3 tbsp flour
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp cinammon
1/8 tsp salt (a really good pinch)
a little later, you'll need:
2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small peices
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp cinammon
1 tsp brown sugar
preheat the oven to 425F.
peel the apples, and slice into 1/4" thick slices. i've found this is quicker work with a sharp knife, than with one of those dumb apple corer thingys. in a large bowl, combine apple slices with the next 5 ingredeints. stir it up, and let it sit for 15 minutes, and stir occasionally.
take one pie crust and form it into your 9" or 10" pie plate. trim it so there's only a 1/2" or so extra all around. pour the apple mixture in, and top the mixture with the butter peices. to seal the top crust on, brush the edge of the bottom crust with ice water, and lay the top crust on it. trim the top, and seal the edge by pressing with your fingers. trim more, as needed. with a very sharp knife, cut steam vents into the top. mix together the last 3 ingredients, and sprinkle on top. put the pie in the oven for 30 minutes. slip a baking sheet under the pie and cook for another 40 minutes. once it's done, it will need to "set", so allow it to completely cool on the counter for a few hours.
it should look something like this:
time for some "steampunk". kinda scifi, but only with steam powered technologies. apparently, i've been digging steampunk for some years now, it just never dawned on me that Fullmetal Alchemist (just picked up volume 4, btw!), Tim Power's The Anubis Gates, most China Meiville, most Miyazaki stories, and plenty of other stuff i thoroughly enjoy fell under the umbrella of steampunk. It's like hard scifi, minus the headache.
and yes! I am back from the library! gots me a copy of William Gibson & Bruce Sterling's The Difference Engine. Supposedly this is those two doing steampunk. It's not like Gibson or Sterling to dissapoint, so i'm excited. also nabbed a few Cowboy Bepop and Tokyo Babylon manga. that damn shojo Tokyo Babylon. . . it's dumb and cheesy, but i want to see what happens, and see if those two stupid boys hook up already. and speaking of boys with fashion sense, when is the library going to get copies of Paradise Kiss? it looks fashionably awesome. and cheeky.
i'm also into my ARC of Jackie Kessler's Hell's Belles. It's tagged as "paranormal romance". it's fun, funny, and unexpected. Not heavy, or earth shattering or magical, just very funny, and very fun. a good vacation read. Review to soon show up on Mutiverse Reviews.
i'm hungry. and i got pie crusts "resting" in the fridge, for this wine tasting party thingy we're going to tomorrow. one of them pies is gonna be filled with apples! and cinammon! and lots and lots of sugar! mmm mmm good! like porn, but way tastier. and with calories.
here's the secret apple pie filling recipe. you can use the frozen pie crusts from the grocery store. or you can wait till next time, when i give you the secret for the most incredible pie crust ever.
2 pie crusts - at room temperature, cuz your pie's gonna be covered.
6 apples - any combination of golden delicious, gala, or fuji (these seem to work the best).
3/4 cup sugar
3 tbsp flour
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp cinammon
1/8 tsp salt (a really good pinch)
a little later, you'll need:
2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small peices
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp cinammon
1 tsp brown sugar
preheat the oven to 425F.
peel the apples, and slice into 1/4" thick slices. i've found this is quicker work with a sharp knife, than with one of those dumb apple corer thingys. in a large bowl, combine apple slices with the next 5 ingredeints. stir it up, and let it sit for 15 minutes, and stir occasionally.
take one pie crust and form it into your 9" or 10" pie plate. trim it so there's only a 1/2" or so extra all around. pour the apple mixture in, and top the mixture with the butter peices. to seal the top crust on, brush the edge of the bottom crust with ice water, and lay the top crust on it. trim the top, and seal the edge by pressing with your fingers. trim more, as needed. with a very sharp knife, cut steam vents into the top. mix together the last 3 ingredients, and sprinkle on top. put the pie in the oven for 30 minutes. slip a baking sheet under the pie and cook for another 40 minutes. once it's done, it will need to "set", so allow it to completely cool on the counter for a few hours.
it should look something like this:
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