Banana Plantain Crisp

Plantain; Musa x paradisiaca, the plantain (pronounced plăn'tən, is a crop in the genus Musa and is generally used for cooking, in contrast to the soft, sweet banana (which is sometimes called the dessert banana).

The population of North America was first introduced to the banana plantain, and in the United States and Europe "banana" generally refers to that variety. Plantains tend to be firmer and lower in sugar content than dessert bananas. Bananas are most often eaten raw, while plantains usually require cooking or other processing, and are used either when green or under-ripe (and therefore starchy) or overripe (and therefore sweet). Plantains are a staple food in the tropical regions of the world, treated in much the same way as potatoes and with a similar neutral flavour and texture when the unripe fruit is cooked by steaming, boiling or frying.





I was surfing around the food blogs a few weeks ago and landed on Lynn's blog, Queen of the Castle Recipes and Lynn had just posted a wonderful step-by-step recipe for Sauteed Bananas. Of course this reminded me of my culinary adventures in Florida and Plantains! I then contacted Lynn and since she had never tasted Plantains we decided to have a recipe swap...so fun!

Lynn and I decided to not reveal our recipes until the last minute. So you'll have to visit Lynn at Queen of the Castle Recipes to find out what recipe she made but the below picture is a sneak peek! I do know that she tried several recipes both sweet and savory, just click on the link Versatile, Delicious Plantains to read about Lynn's Plantain adventure!





When living in Florida, as a side dish I sauteed Plantains in butter and sometimes added a TBL of brown sugar and they were delicious. But I wanted to make a dessert and found a wonderful recipe for Broiled Banana Crisp that would be perfect for substituting Plantains. But the recipe was for 1 serving which would never work in my house, so I improvised and came up with an outstanding dessert. The Plantains baked to almost a pudding-like consistency but yet held their shape and with the crispy brown sugar/cinnamon topping it was delicious. This is going on my list as one of my go to desserts!





Banana Plantain Crisp
Recipe adapted from Recipe Zaar

3 Plantains, cut into crosswise slices **See Note
2 TBL lemon juice
1/2 c brown sugar
1 1/2 c quick-cooking oats, UNcooked
1/2 c flour
1 tsp cinnamon
6 TBL butter, cold but not firm

Makes 4 servings, in individual oven proof ramekins. If your using Bananas,I would use at least 5 medium bananas.

Peel Plantains, cut into crosswise slices about 1/4" thick, drizzle with lemon juice and stir gently to distribute lemon juice evenly.

Divide sliced plantains into 4 greased ramekins.

In a bowl, combine the brown sugar, uncooked oats, flour and cinnamon

Cut butter into the mixture until it resembles crumbs and then spread the crumbs equally over Plantains.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

**NOTE: The blacker the Plantain the sweeter it is! The above Plantain photo is not quite ripe yet, but I prefer plantains and bananas at about the not-quite-ripe stage. But if you want your Plantain at it's sweetest, let it ripen until it is totally black and the fruit flies are starting to hover!






All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Caramel Pecan Cupcakes

Guess what!

I finally found some photography classes and I couldn't be happier! I signed up for 6-2 hour classes which are held on Saturdays from 10:00-12:00 pm, beginning March 13th. I am so excited! The classes are Digital Photography I and II, Introduction to DSLR Photography, Studio Lighting, Exterior/Interior Lighting and Filter Factor. I spoke to the instructor for at least an hour and she has so much knowledge and answered all my questions. AND if I need to brush up my skills, I can repeat a class for free..NO CHARGE!

And I bought a new lens for my camera...YES! I've been looking at lenses for a while now and after some trial and error I finally decided on the Nikon 60mm f/2.8G and I should have it by my birthday! Yippee! Now all I need is another set of Softbox Continuous Lights and a Tripod and I'll be all set as far as photography equipment. Mr. Tastebuds is very hopeful that I'll be set for a long time!

But I have to get to my newest Cupcakes which were over the top delicious! I had some of the Browned-Butter Caramel Frosting leftover from my last Cupcake Adventure, Chocolate Caramel Cupcakes, and it was so good I just had to use it again! So I made my favorite Vanilla Cupcakes and filled them with caramel cream which is always fun. Then topped with the Browned-Butter Caramel Frosting, drizzled with caramel cream and finally topped with Candied Pecan! And don't you just love ooey gooey!





Just Plain Good Cupcakes
Recipe adapted from "Small Batch Baking" by Debby Maugans Nakos

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 c flour
1/4 c buttermilk
1/8 tsp baking soda
1 egg yolk, at room temperature
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 c plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/8 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 5 muffin cups with baking cups and set aside.

Combine the buttermilk and baking soda in a small bowl and whisk to blend. Add egg yolk and vanilla and again whisk until thoroughly mixed.

Place the flour, sugar and salt in a medium-sized mixing bowl and mix. Add the butter and half of the buttermilk mixture. Beat with a hand-held mixer on low speed until the dry ingredients are blended. Increase the speed to medium and beat until the mixture is slightly increased in volume, about 45 seconds, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Pour in the remaining buttermilk mixture and beat on medium speed until well blended, 20 seconds. Make sure you scrape down the sides of the bowl

Spoon the batter evenly into the 5 baking cups. Put a little bit of water in the rest of the empty cups in your Cupcake Tin to prevent the cupcakes from scorching. Bake the cupcakes until a tester comes out clean, about 20 to 23 minutes.

Remove from the oven and as soon as you can remove the cupcakes from the pan and let them thoroughly cool on a cooling rack.





Caramel Cream

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cup water (for “stopping” the caramelization process)
2 TBL heavy cream, room temperature

In a small stainless steel saucepan mix 1/2 c. water and sugar. Turn on heat to medium high. Cook until sugar melts and turns an amber color.

When color is achieved, very carefully pour in one cup of water. Caramel will jump, sputter and spit so be careful and you may want to wear long sleeves and be prepared to step back.

Whisk over medium heat until it has reduced slightly. Remove from heat.

Cool until you can touch the caramel with your finger without burning.

Add 2 TBL heavy cream and whisk well. Caramel should freely drizzle so you may need to add a tsp or so more of the heavy cream.





Browned-Butter Caramel Frosting
Recipe adapted from MyRecipes

1/4 c brown sugar
4 TBL Butter
6 TBL butter, cold but not firm
1/3 c heavy whipping cream
8 oz cream cheese, cold and firm
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Dash of salt
3 c powdered sugar

Place brown sugar and 4 TBL butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves. As soon as it comes to boil remove from heat and whisk in cream, blending well. Pour into a small bowl and cool, stirring occasionally to incorporate butter.

Place remaining 6 TBL butter and cream cheese in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer until smooth. Since the butter and cream cheese is cold, it can take some time to blend so make sure to hold onto the edge of the bowl as you beat. Beat in vanilla and salt. With the mixer running, slowly pour in cooled brown sugar mixture and beat until smooth. Continue beating and add 1/2 c. powdered sugar at a time, beating well after each addition until completely smooth. Chill for 20 minutes.

NOTE: I used a small tip in my pastry bag and although the cupcakes look loaded with frosting, I was surprised to discover that I used about half the amount of frosting I would have with one of the larger tips. So I had quite a bit of leftover frosting. But Cream Cheese Frosting will keep in the refrigerator or I've had very good luck with freezing it. When needed, just thaw, whip it with a fork and it's good to go.





To Assemble

Bake the cupcakes. When the cupcakes are cool, carve a hole in the top but not completely to the bottom. Save the "cork".

Fill the cupcake with a tsp or so of the Caramel Filling. And place the "cork" back in place.

Dip whole pecans, 1 per cupcake, in the Caramel Cream. Lay pecan on a piece of parchment to dry.

Frost the cupcakes. Drizzle with Caramel Cream. Top with a Whole Candied Pecan.







All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Chocolate Cherry Pocket Pie with Brandied Cherries

Well, I did it again! I made more mini pies for HBinFive's Chocolate Espresso Whole Wheat Bread. The Pocket Apple Pies that I made two weeks ago were such a big hit, I had a request to make more. And I never need to be asked more then once!

But the Chocolate Espresso Whole Wheat Bread was not as easy to work and I did have to fuss a bit more but the Pies were very good. I made the Pocket Pies with my 5" Dough Press and again using about 2 TBL of Filling per pie.







For the Cherry Filling I used my home canned Brandied Cherries and boy was the cherry filling good. I canned the Brandied Cherries several years ago but they were pushed to the back of the pantry and I had totally forgotten about them! Well, I won't be forgetting about them any time soon. And plan on making more Brandied Cherries as soon as they come into season. Sorry but I do not remember where I found the recipe for the Brandied Cherries but I've had it for some time now.





Brandied Cherries
Recipe adapted from "not a clue"

6 lbs dark, sweet cherries
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 1/4 cups brandy

Wash and pit cherries. Combine sugar, water and lemon juice in a large sauce pot. Bring mixture to a simmer. Add cherries and simmer until hot throughout. Remove from heat; stir in brandy. Pack hot cherries into hot jars, leaving 1/2" head space. Remove air bubbles. Adjust two-piece caps. Process 10 minutes in a Boiling Water Bath.


Cherry Filling
Recipe developed by Big Black Dog

1 Pt of Brandied Cherries, abt 2 cups including juice (You can also used canned, frozen or fresh cherries, cleaned and pitted)
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
2 TBL Sugar

Chop the cherries into 1/4" pieces. Put Cherries including juice, cinnamon and sugar in a saute pan. Over low heat, simmer until all liquid has evaporated. Watch it closely because it can burn easily.





With the remaining dough I made mini loaves of bread. Aren't they cute! I just cut the loaves into slices, garnished with fresh Kiwi Fruit and drizzled with Ganache.







Chocolate Ganache
Recipe adapted from my Mom

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch salt

Put the cream in the microwave and heat until just hot. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit until chocolate is melted. Stir until completely smooth and free of any unmelted chocolate. Add remaining ingredients. Allow to cool slightly before using.








All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Banana Boats **Satisfying a Taste

Remember Girl Scouts?

I remember so much about Girl Scouts and cooking on an open fire which was so much fun. Whenever we had a Girl Scout camping trip, we would form small groups and select our own menus which had to be approved. And every time my group voted unanimously for Banana Boats for dessert and every time it would be x'd out and replaced with S'Mores. S'Mores are fine the first few times, but come on all ready, even S'Mores can get b-o-r-i-n-g!

Last week I had a taste for something sweet particularly something chocolate but I had no desire to make a dessert. I had a bag of Peanut M&Ms which was just not satisfying my needs! But then I remembered the Banana Boats and I knew I could whip up these babies in no time flat and I could be a wee bit creative too.

You can bake the Banana Boats in an open fire, on a charcoal grill or in an oven. The banana will darken on the tips but this does not effect the wonderful taste of warm banana and melted chocolate what so ever!







Ooey Gooey Banana Boats
Recipe as I remember from Girl Scouts

Whole Banana(s)
Semi-sweet chocolate chips
Miniature marshmallows
M&Ms
Heath Toffee Chips
Whipped Cream
Crushed Peanuts

1. Slice banana down the middle careful to not slice all the way through.
2. Carefully cut away a wedge section of the peel and discard.
3. Pinch the banana inward to open up the banana a little bit. Fill with chocolate, candy, marshmallows or whatever you want but make sure it will melt.
4. Wrap each banana in aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees until chocolate is completely melted.
5. Remove from oven, plate banana and top with whipped cream and crushed peanuts. Enjoy!


Okay, this is my first attempt, Banana, Milk Chocolate Chunks, Peanut M&Ms.







And this is my second attempt, Banana, Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips, Peanut Butter Chips or Heath Bar Chips. Topped with Whipped Cream, Crushed Peanuts and a Red Hot.






For some strange reason, I've been humming "Kum Bay Ya" for the last week!



All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Thanksgiving Menu for Spend-a-Buck Farm

Since my blog is on hiatus until after Thanksgiving, I thought I would post my proposed menu. I can't make too many changes or else Mr. Tastebud's gets upset! Poor guy is still recovering from when I brined the turkey in a trash can last year so I can't push it too much. The brined turkey turned out gorgeous but Mr. Tastebuds was very nervous.

Of course I'm serving turkey and stuffing and mashed potatoes and gravy, but I thought I'd try a few new things and tweak some of the old.


Mr. Tastebud's picked up the dill today on the way home from work. And he also picked up huge portobella mushrooms on sale 2@$1. Here's the recipe for the Stuffed Mushrooms.


Stuffed Mushrooms with Italian Sausage
Recipe adapted from Southern Food

20 large fresh mushrooms (I'm using 6 HUGE mushrooms)
8 ounces sweet Italian sausage
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 TBL + 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
2 TBL finely chopped parsley
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c water

Wash mushrooms well. Remove stems and chop finely. Remove outer casing from sausage and put in skillet with chopped mushroom stems, garlic, and 1 tablespoon of the oil. Cook, breaking up sausage, until browned. Add 1 teaspoon of oil, parsley and the Parmesan cheese. Fill mushrooms with sausage mixture and put in shallow baking pan. Pour 1/4 cup water and remaining tablespoon of oil into bottom of the pan. Bake at 350° for about 20 minutes.
Serves 4.



I thought this year I would try the Pre-salting Method with the turkey. It's a very easy process and all you need is salt and big garbage bag. I do the the pre-salt all the time for roasted chicken but have never tried it with turkey.


Salt Brined Turkey
Recipe adapted from the Los Angeles Times

Note: This is more a technique than a recipe. It makes a bird that has concentrated turkey flavor and fine, firm flesh and that is delicious as it is. But you can add other flavors as you wish. Minced rosemary would be a nice finishing addition. Or brush the bird lightly with butter before roasting.

1 (12- to 16-pound) turkey

Kosher salt

1. Wash the turkey inside and out, pat it dry and weigh it. Measure 1 tablespoon of salt into a bowl for every 5 pounds the turkey weighs (for a 15-pound turkey, you'd have 3 tablespoons).

2. Sprinkle the inside of the turkey lightly with salt. Place the turkey on its back and salt the breasts, concentrating the salt in the center, where the meat is thickest. You'll probably use a little more than a tablespoon. It should look liberally seasoned, but not over-salted.

3. Turn the turkey on one side and sprinkle the entire side with salt, concentrating on the thigh. You should use a little less than a tablespoon. Flip the turkey over and do the same with the opposite side.

4. Place the turkey in a 2 1/2-gallon sealable plastic bag, press out the air and seal tightly. Place the turkey breast-side up in the refrigerator. Chill for 3 days, turning it onto its breast for the last day.

5. Remove the turkey from the bag. There should be no salt visible on the surface and the skin should be moist but not wet. Place the turkey breast-side up on a plate and refrigerate uncovered for at least 8 hours.

6. On the day it is to be cooked, remove the turkey from the refrigerator and leave it at room temperature at least 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

7. Place the turkey breast-side down on a roasting rack in a roasting pan; put it in the oven. After 30 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and carefully turn the turkey over so the breast is facing up (it's easiest to do this by hand, using kitchen towels or oven mitts).

8. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees, return the turkey to the oven and roast until a thermometer inserted in the deepest part of the thigh, but not touching the bone, reads 165 degrees, about 2 3/4 hours total roasting.

9. Remove the turkey from the oven, transfer it to a warm platter or carving board; tent loosely with foil. Let stand at least 30 minutes to let the juices redistribute through the meat. Carve and serve.




I have such a hard time getting the mashed potatoes on the table while they're still hot. So when I found the recipe for Oven Baked Mashed Potatoes on My Slice of Heaven I knew I had to try it.


Oven Mashed Potatoes
Recipe adapted from Sioux City cookbook "Cornsilk" published 1985

5 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed (I use red potatoes)
1 8 oz. package cream cheese softened (I use 2 oz cream cheese)
1 cup half and half
1 stick of butter, melted (4 TBL butter)
1 tsp. minced dry onions (fresh chives)
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. seasoned salt (skip)
Paprika

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil. Cook potatoes until tender but firm, about 15 minutes; drain. In large bowl, mash potatoes with half of the melted butter and the half and half. With hand mixer, beat in softened cream cheese and seasonings. Beat until very fluffy. Pile in large casserole dish. Add rest of butter on top and a dash of paprika. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Potatoes should be slightly browned on top when done. These can be made the night before and reheated the next day.



For our salad I make my sister's recipe, Broccoli and Dried Cranberry Salad with Cashews, which I make every year and we love it and it looks so pretty on the table. This year I am using Orange-flavored Cranberries.


Broccoli and Dried Cranberry Salad with Cashews
Recipe adapted from my sister, Sherry

DRESSING:

1 c. Mayonnaise
1/2 c. Sugar
1 TBL Vinegar

SALAD:

2 Bunches Fresh Broccoli cut into florets (I use a about 1/2 bag of florets cut in half)
1/2 lb cooked, crumbled bacon
3-4 Green Onions including tops, cut up into small pieces
1 c. cashews or more if you like (I like more)
About 3/4 c. Dried Cranberries or you can sub dried cherries

Combine all ingredients for salad and then toss with dressing.



Instead of Candied Yams I decided to try a totally different recipe. And I'm not sure if it will be accepted or not.


Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Lime Cilantro Vinaigrette
Recipe adapted from Epicurious

4 lb sweet potatoes (8; preferably long)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Cover potatoes with cold salted water in a large pot, then bring to a boil. Simmer until slightly resistant in center when pierced with a sharp small knife, 25 to 30 minutes, then transfer to a large bowl of cold water to stop cooking. Drain well. When cool enough to handle, peel potatoes with a sharp small knife and quarter lengthwise.

Prepare grill for cooking.

Whisk together lime juice, salt, and pepper and add oil in a slow stream, whisking. Whisk in cilantro.

When fire is hot (you can hold your hand 5 inches above rack for 1 to 2 seconds), grill potatoes in 2 or 3 batches on lightly oiled grill rack (over coals if using a charcoal grill), uncovered, turning, until grill marks appear and potatoes are just tender, 3 to 6 minutes total.

Serve potatoes warm or at room temperature, drizzled with vinaigrette.


One of the vegetables I want to try is super easy!


Quick Steamed Baby Carrots with Dill
Recipe adapted from @kittykim on twitter

20 or so baby carrots
2 TBL butter
1 TBL minced fresh dill

Steam the carrots until just barely soft. Remove to bowl and add the butter and let it melt and toss. Remove to a serving dish and sprinkle with minced fresh Dill.



And to throw just one more change into the mix, I am making biscuits instead of rolls and I found the recipe on Kim's blog Stirring the Pot. I'm pretty sure this will not be a problem but who knows......


Grandmother Walters's Biscuits
Recipe adapted from My New Orleans

2 cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons cold butter, preferable European style, diced (Definitely use salted butter**)
1 cup whole milk (I will use Buttermilk)

Preheat the oven to 425F. Sift the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt into a mixing bowl. Using a fork or pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour until it resembles cornmeal. Add the milk, stirring until the dough just comes together to form a ball.

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface. Gently pat the dough down with your hands and fold it over on itself. Pat the dough down and fold it over once or twice more. Loosely cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel and let it rest for a half hour or so.

Being careful not to overwork the dough, roll it out until it is 3/4 to 1 inch thick. Cut dough into biscuits using whatever cutter you like. Grandmother used an inverted juice glass, which was really an old preserves jar. For more biscuits, use a smaller glass.

Place the biscuits on a cookie sheet and bake until uniformly golden brown, 10-14 minutes.



Now for dessert, I have to make my Mom's Pumpkin Pie. I love it and I've not found a better recipe yet.


Mom's Pumpkin Pie
Recipe adapted from my Mom

2 eggs
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 1/2 c. canned pumpkin
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 c. evaporated milk
1/2 c. cream

Combine all ingredients and mix. My Mom always tasted it and then adjusted cinnamon by adding a shake. Pour into prepared pie shell. Bake at 425 degrees for about 40 minutes.


And it just wouldn't be Thanksgiving without Pumpkin Cheesecake and this recipe is the best!


Pumpkin Cheesecake
Recipe from the back of a Libbys Canned Pumpkin label

12 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. sugar
3/4 c. sour cream
1 TBL cornstarch
2 eggs, room temperature
1 c. pumpkin
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Ginger
1/8 tsp Nutmeg
1 TBL Dark Rum

Crust:
1 box of Zwieback Toast
4 TBL sugar
4 TBL melted butter
1/2 tsp Cinnamon

Pre heat oven to 325 degrees.

Crust: In the food processor put about 1/2 the box of Zwieback Toast. Pulse until finely crushed but we careful it does not turn to mush. Place crumbs in small bowl and add sugar and cinnamon and then drizzle in melted butter.

Rub the sides and bottom of a 9" spring form pan with butter or Crisco. Press crumb mixture up against sides and bottom about 1/16" thick. Set aside.

Cake: With an electric mixer cream sugar and cream cheese. Add sour cream, eggs, cornstarch, pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, vanilla and rum and mix until thoroughly blended.

Pour cream cheese mix into prepared pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour. Remove from oven and thoroughly cool before removing the cake from the pan. This cake is best if refrigerated over night and served cold.









Have a great Thanksgiving filled with good friends, family and fabulous food. See you on Friday!



All Rights Reserved 2008-9 © Big Black Dog

Pumpkin Bread Pudding with a Cinnamon Bourbon Sauce

Do you remember the free cookbooks from the large food companies like Hershey, Riceland Rice, Campbell's Soup and Philadelphia Cream Cheese? To get the cookbook you had to fill out a form and include two or three labels. Most of the free cookbooks were small pamphlet-like publications but I received several that were very nice, small hardbound books.

When we finished with our remodeling project and I was unpacking and organizing my new kitchen, I found all my small cookbooks and I must have a stack 12" high! And included in the stack is "The Great Pumpkin Cookbook" published by Libby's in 1984 and it has the best pumpkin recipes! While reading it, I found the perfect recipe to use up the remainder of my Pumpkin Pie Brioche that I made for HBinFive

I did change the Bread Pudding recipe just a teeny bit. I subbed bourbon for the Almond Liqueur and of course used the last of Pumpkin Pie Brioche instead of white bread. As always I had to take it a step further and drizzled with a Cinnamon Bourbon Sauce! This is a rich dessert and Mr. Tastebud's loved it!








Almond Bread Pudding
Recipe adapted from "The Great Pumpkin Cookbook"

6 c. French bread cubes (I used Pumpkin Pie Brioche)
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 c solid pack pumpkin
3/4 c brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 c. milk
1/4 c almond flavored liqueur (I used 2 TBL bourbon)
1/4 c. butter, melted
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 c. sliced almonds for topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place bread cubes in large mixing bowl.

In a separate bowl, combine eggs, condensed milk, pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg and mix well. Gradually add milk. Blend in liqueur, melted butter and vanilla and stir until smooth. Toss lightly with bread cubes.

Pour into lightly buttered 11by7-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with almonds. Set dish into a 13by9-inch baking dish. Place on oven rack. Pour hot water into larger dish to 1-inch level.

Bake 50-60 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Serve warm drizzled with the Cinnamon Bourbon Sauce and a spoon of Whipped Cream.



Cinnamon Bourbon Sauce
Recipe developed in the kitchen of Big-Black-Dog

1/4 c butter
1/2 c sugar
1/4 c heavy cream
2 tsp bourbon
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in sugar and cream. Simmer until thickened, whisking often, about 3 minutes. Cool slightly add bourbon and cinnamon and whisk thoroughly. If the sauce is too thick to pour, thin with a little more cream.







If you are interested in joining HBinFive please send an email to ms dot bigblackdog at gmail dot com and I'll get back to you as soon as possible.

If you join HBinFive before November 15, 2009, your name will be entered into a drawing for a free, signed copy of "Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day" by Jeff Hertzberg MD and Zoe Francois.


Foodie Friday is graciously hosted by Michael of Designs by Gollum. Please visit Designs by Gollum and see more wonderful creations!








All Rights Reserved 2008-9 © Big Black Dog

Black-bottom Cupcakes

Black-bottom Cupcakes have been on my ToDo List forever it seems. And I was happy to check it off especially after I tasted them! WOW..what a deep, luscious chocolate flavor similar to a fudgy chocolate brownie and not like a cupcake at all.

My filling sort of sunk into the cupcake! If I make these again I will add another spoonful or two of the cream cheese mixture on top after they are baked. But the cupcakes were great even with the crater! I did add a tsp of espresso just to enhance the chocolate flavor a bit and instead of cider vinegar I used Balsamic Vinegar. I know I'm hooked on Balsamic but it's just so good and it is especially good with chocolate!!









Black-bottom Cupcakes
Recipe adapted from All Recipes

Filling:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1/3 cup white sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips


Cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon cider vinegar (I used Balsamic Vinegar)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Optional: 1 tsp espresso powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line muffin tins with paper cups or lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, egg, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/8 teaspoon salt and the optional espresso powder. Stir in the chocolate chips and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, 1 cup sugar, cocoa, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add water, oil, vinegar and vanilla and stir until well blended.

Fill muffin tins not quite 1/2 full with the batter and top with a heavy TBL of the cream cheese mixture.

Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Careful to not over bake the cupcakes as they should be very moist and chewy similar to a brownie.










Gadgets that Work







I bought this Stoneware Muffin Pan last year from Haegar Potteries which is the oldest working pottery in the United States and about five minutes from my house! Just last year Haegar began making stoneware bakeware and the muffin pan is my first purchase and I'm very happy with it. As I remember the Muffin Pan was around $20.

I started using the Stoneware Muffin Pan a few months ago and I just love how nicely my cupcakes bake and they have the best rise and dome perfectly. So now it's the only pan I use for cupcakes.

The Haeager Muffin Pan is dishwasher safe yet cleans up very easily if you choose to wash it by hand. It is heavier then a metal muffin tin which is probably why it bakes so much better. And because it is clay, if you happen to drop it, it will break and hopefully your feet are well out of the way!



All Rights Reserved 2008-9 © Big Black Dog

Apple Crisp - An old Favorite

Cortland Apple; After the many attributes of McIntosh were discovered, plant breeders began crossing it with other varieties to enhance its traits. One of the earliest was the Cortland, combined with the Ben Davis variety. Its flavor is sweet compared to McIntosh, and it has a flush of crimson against a pale yellow background sprinkled with short, dark red stripes and gray-green dots. Cortland has very white flesh and is an excellent dessert apple. This all purpose apple was developed at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, New York, USA in 1898. The apple was named after nearby Cortland County, New York.

I love apples and this year I just can't seem to keep apples around very long. Mr. Tastebuds is inhaling them one after the other as fast as I can buy them! Of course I'm doing a pretty good job of using as many apples as I can in baking and cooking.

My very favorite apple is Cortland. I discovered them about 20 yrs ago and I look forward to fall every year so I can taste my Cortland Apples again. The problem with Cortlands is that they do not store well and if you don't buy them by November, you'll have to wait until next year! I make sure that I get my share of Cortlands every year.

And aren't they gorgeous!







Apple Crisp is such a simple, comforting dessert and we love it. I found a wonderful recipe many years ago and I've used it ever since. The recipe is in the cookbook "Tested, Tried and True" by the Flint (MI) Junior League which was one of my very first cookbooks. I think I've made 90% of the recipes and most have been very good. "Tested, Tried and True" has been out of print for many years now but you can still find it on Ebay.

I know the recipes calls for 5 apples but the apples cook down so much and I like a good inch or so of apple with my crisp. So I use any where from 7-9 apples and just heap it up, just like I do for my apple pie. I also do not peel my apples because there is so much flavor in the peel and I do not want to miss any flavor!








Apple Crisp
Recipe adapted from "Tested, Tried and True" by Flint (MI) Junior League

1 c. brown sugar
1 c. white sugar
1 c. flour
1/3 c. melted butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon
5 apples (I use from 7-9 apples and at least 2-3 varieties)

Option: Abt 5 TBL of butter dotted on top

Slice apples, leaving on peel. Mix white sugar, cinnamon and sprinkle this over the apples and blend well.

Pour the apples into the 8" by 8" pan. Just heap them up and don't worry, the apples will cook down and will not overflow into your oven.



Mix brown sugar, flour and butter. Crumble this over the top. I add tiny dots of extra butter too.


See how perfectly it cooked down and look at how much apple there is!
Bake 30-45 minutes at 375 degrees. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.







I did sprinkle a little bit of what I think is raw sugar on top of the whipped cream. Does anyone know what it says on the bag? I love to shop at the Asian Markets but I don't really know what I'm buying?!?




UPDATE!

Tracy at Sugar Crafter came to the rescue with information on the mystery bag.

Spoon (the name of the brand)
Medium plate sugar
Mitsui Sugar Co., Ltd.

and

Kanmuri of Turning Iwatean shared further info on the brand name which is Spoon Jirushi.

and

Newfs of Hazard says it's dried, flaked bonito fish!


Foodie Friday is graciously hosted by Michael of Designs by Gollum. Please visit Designs by Gollum and see more wonderful creations!








All Rights Reserved 2008-9 © Big Black Dog

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Cream Frosting

FINALLY!


Due to the pumpkin shortage I've not been able to bake anything pumpkin yet this year. I was near panic all week but on Saturday one of my local markets finally came through. Their canned pumpkin display consisted of a huge mound of box after box of pumpkin about 100 cases deep and stacked 10 cases high. YES!!!!! And I stocked up and have enough pumpkin for a few years now!

If you have not noticed I'm participating in the GreatHallowTweet, which is organized by my twitter buddy, Renee of Flamingo Musings. We've all decorated up our blogs for Halloween and I must say, we all outdid ourselves this year! Great job guys! If you have a minute please hop over to my sidebar and click on the links in the big orange banner. I promise you will not be disappointed. So fun!

The recipe I used for my cupcakes is all over the internet yet I've never made Pumpkin Cupcakes. I know hard to believe being I've had a pumpkin obsession for years now. But boy is this recipe a keeper, just fantastic!! Of course I had to have a little fun with Halloween and decorate the heck out of them.






Pumpkin Cupcakes
Recipe adapted from Leite's Culinaria

1/c c butter, softened
1 c packed dark-brown sugar
1/3 c sugar
2 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin

Makes about 16 regular sized cupcakes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the butter and sugars until well blended. Add the eggs, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, pepper and vanilla and mix well. Blend in the buttermilk and pumpkin then gradually add flour and mix until completely incorporated.

Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 full of batter. Bake cupcakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean about 12-15 minutes. Remove cupcakes from tin and cool on a rack.








Maple Cream Frosting
Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 TBL pure maple syrup
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 c confectioners' sugar

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add maple syrup, vanilla, and confectioners' sugar; continue beating until well combined and smooth.

I had to double the frosting recipe to have enough for all the cupcakes. But I tend to pipe a thicker frosting for cupcakes to get a nice top dome and ..well because I love it! But if you're frosting the cupcakes with a spatula, the recipe as is should be fine.






In case you've missed them, pictured below are more of my Halloween Treats. Just click on the title links for the recipe and post.


Halloween Lollipop Cookies





Snow-flecked Brownies






Candy Corn Kiss Cookies








All Rights Reserved 2008-9 © Big Black Dog

Snow-flecked Brownies

It is so cold outside! We seem to be having bitter cold weather where temperatures are going below 20 degrees and then the next day is a gorgeous, brisk fall day. I know this is typical for the Midwest but geesh already..make up your mind!

Being we're having such wild temperature swings with many record breaking colds, I though Nigella's recipe for Snow-Capped Brownies was in order. And I was ready for an ooey gooey, fattening, chocolate snack! In fact so much in the mood for something fattening that I decided to throw in some Mascarpone Cheese. And they were rich and gooey and delicious!

I did cut this recipe in half and made it in an 8"by8" baking dish. Nigella chose white chocolate dots as her snow and added to the mix before baking. But for my Illinois snow I grated white chocolate and sprinkled it on top and because we're still technically in fall, I added some colored leaves as well.








Snow-flecked Brownies
Recipe adapted from Nigella Lawson

13 ounces unsalted butter
13 ounces best-quality dark chocolate
6 eggs
12 ounces sugar
1 tablespoon real vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon fine salt
9 ounces white chocolate chips, or good white chocolate, chopped (I skipped)
Approximately 2 teaspoons powdered sugar, for dusting (I skipped)

My additions:
1/2 c. Mascarpone Cheese, room temperature
Grated White Chocolate
Fall sprinkles

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line the sides and base of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking pan with foil or parchment paper.

Melt the butter and dark chocolate together in a large heavy based pan over a low heat.

In a bowl or large measuring glass, beat the eggs together with the sugar and vanilla extract. Blend in the softened Mascarpone Cheese.

Allow the chocolate mixture to cool a little, then add the egg and sugar mixture and beat well. Fold in the flour and salt. Then stir in the white chocolate. Beat just to combine and then scrape into the prepared pan.

Bake for about 25 minutes. You can see when the brownies are ready because the top dries to a slightly paler brown speckle, while the middle remains dark, dense and gooey.

To serve, cut into squares while still warm and pile up on a large plate, sprinkling with powdered sugar pushed with a teaspoon through a small sieve and dotting with birthday candles as you go. Set alight and enjoy the festive scene.

I topped with Ganache, recipe below. Then sprinkled with grated white chocolate and leaf sprinkles.



Chocolate Ganache

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch salt

Place the chocolate in a heat proof container, I use my glass Pyrex 4-cup measure. Heat the cream in the microwave until it's just hot. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and gently stir until the chocolate is completely melted. Stir in the vanilla and salt.









Please visit I heart Cooking Clubs and see what everyone is up too this week. As always our hostesses are Deb of Kahkai Kitchen and Heather of GirliChef.



Foodie Friday is graciously hosted by Michael of Designs by Gollum. Please visit Designs by Gollum and see more wonderful creations!









All Rights Reserved 2008-9 © Big Black Dog

Homemade Graham Crackers and a Nutella Sundae!

On twitter, I innocently mentioned that I make a double batch of breadsticks/crackers every ten days or so. Then Heather, aka @bodaciousgirl, said that I should try my hand at Graham Crackers and recommended Alton Brown's recipe. WOW, I never thought to make Graham Crackers before! How fun is that!!!

And to make this recipe even more exciting, I cut some of the crackers with a cookie cutter and some with my new Pasta Bike! More on the Pasta Bike below in my "Gadgets That Work".

Well one thing lead to another and before I knew it I had made a Nutella Sundae which was a perfect compliment for the crackers! I wish I had thought to sprinkle some cinnamon sugar on the graham crackers. But I think I will make some Graham Crackers for my Christmas Cookie Baskets so will add the cinnamon sugar at that time. Then again maybe I will add some holiday sprinkles as well..you all know how I love to sprinkle!







Graham Crackers
Recipe adapted from Alton Brown

8 3/8 oz or 1 3/4 c graham flour
1 7/8 oz or 1/3 c plus 1 1/2 TBL all-purpose flour
3 oz or 1/2 c dark brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 ounces unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes and chilled
2 1/4 oz or 3/8 c molasses
1 1/2 oz or 3 1/4 TBL whole milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place both flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon into the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles cornmeal. Add the molasses, milk and vanilla extract and process until the dough forms a ball, approximately 1 minute. Press the ball into a 1/2-inch thick disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Unwrap the chilled dough and place it onto a large piece of parchment paper and top with a second sheet of parchment paper. Roll the dough out until it is 1/8-inch thick. Slide the rolled dough and parchment paper onto a half sheet pan. Remove the top sheet of parchment paper and cut the dough, using a rolling pizza cutter into 2-inch square pieces, by making vertical and then horizontal cuts all the way across the dough. Trim off any excess. Using a fork, poke holes all over the top of the dough. Leave the crackers on the pan and bake on the middle rack of the oven for 25 minutes or until the edges just start to darken. Remove from the oven, set the sheet pan with the crackers on a cooling rack and allow to cool completely. Once completely cool, break into individual crackers and store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.







Nutella Ice Cream Sundae with Graham Crackers

Vanilla Ice Cream
1/2 c Nutella
1/4 c. cream

Topping:
Whipped Cream
Fresh Raspberries
Graham Crackers
Graham Cracker Crumbs
Fresh mint leaves

Heat the cream in the microwave about 25 seconds. Pour the hot cream over the Nutella and blend. Quickly drizzle the warm Nutella over the ice cream. Top with whipped cream, a sprinkle of graham cracker crumbs, fresh raspberries and a sprig of fresh mint. Serve with some of the homemade Graham Crackers.








Gadgets that Work





A Pasta Bike...wow what the heck is that?


But it did not take me long to figure out that this was one gadget that I had to have in my kitchen! I've only had my Pasta Bike for 2 weeks and I've already used it twice, most recently to cut the above homemade Graham Crackers.





As you can see from the pictures you can easily remove some of the 9 cutting wheels to cut a large variety of shapes. For the Graham Crackers I removed all the wheels except for 3 to cut squares but this would also be the configuration for cutting lasagna noodles!

Pssssst...I know I gave the link to Amazon.com for the Pasta Bike but I bought mine on Ebay, new in it's original box, for $18.99 which included shipping!



Foodie Friday is graciously hosted by Michael of Designs by Gollum. Please visit Designs by Gollum and see more wonderful creations!




All Rights Reserved 2008-9 © Big Black Dog