Tag: Dessert

Bourbon Banana Pie

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I wish I could say that New Years Resolutions mean that pies are on hold for a while.  But no.  No no, I don’t wish that, because pies are always a good idea.

You know what else is a good idea: bourbon.  Oh and bananas.  We can’t forget bananas.  I eat one everyday; they’re good for you.  I don’t have bourbon everyday; we won’t talk about that.  But in this pie form, I might be willing to do so.  Although pie everyday might not be a good idea either, resolutions remember?

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How about a resolution to try new things?  I’ll be honest, the bourbon flavor is subtle, not overpowering.  It’s pretty much perfect, like this pie.  And really aren’t you tired of traditional banana cream pie?   If you are, or even if you’re not, try this:

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Bourbon Banana Pie

1 stick of butter, melted
1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 egg yolks
3/4 cup mashed banana (about 1 1/2 medium bananas)
1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk
3 tbsp Bourbon or other Whiskey
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup sugar

Pre-heat oven to 325F.

Combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and powdered sugar.  Press into a 9 inch pie dish.  Put in the fridge until ready to use.

In a large bowl, beat egg yolks for a few mins.  Beat in banana, sweetened condensed milk and 1 tbsp bourbon.  Pour mixture into prepared pie dish.  Bake for 45 minutes (or until no jiggles when you shake it).  Allow to cool completely.  Once pie has cooled, make topping.  Mix together sour cream, sugar and remaining 2 tbsp bourbon.  Spread over the top of the pie.  Refrigerate for a few hours and serve!

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So given my obsession with adding alcohol to everything, it might seem like I’m an enormous lush.  Trust me, I’m not cool enough to be one of those people.  Pie on the other hand…

I’m definitely cool enough for pie.  So are you.  Go make this pie!  or Pin It for future reference 🙂 This is one you’re going to want to try.

Roasted Pineapple with Cardamom Whipped Cream

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We’re mid-way through January and resolutions are in full swing.  Most people have a resolution that is health/fitness related.  I certainly do.  Believe it or not, in 2013 I want to:

1. Eat less sugar
2.  Keep up my work outs 3-5 times per week
3.  Be able to do 50 pushups without having to drop to my knees after 10

Not the loftiest of goals, but I’ll take it.  This doesn’t mean I’ll stop baking.  Nope.  In fact, last week I made a cake and a pie and today I made cookies (don’t worry I didn’t eat it all).  But I might to diversify my recipes to be a little more health conscious.

So for the sake of resolutions, here is a lighter (I say lighter, not light because whipped cream is not healthy) dessert.

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It includes fruit, a bit of sugar, some spice, nuts and cream.  It’s all about balance after all right?

Roasted Pineapple with Cardamom Whipped Cream

1 pineapple, thinly sliced into rings
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup chopped pecans (or other nuts)
Honey for drizzling

Pre-heat oven to 450F.

Slice pineapple and rub slices with brown sugar (about 1/2 tsp per slice).

pineapple

Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes.  Flip and roast for another 5-10 minutes or until golden.

In the meantime, make whipped cream.  Using a mixer, beat cream until it starts to foam and thicken,  add cardamom, sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until it forms firm peaks.  Set aside.

Once pineapple is done.  Allow to cool slightly.  Place a few slices on a plate top with a dollop of whipped cream, sprinkle with nuts (whichever you’d like.  I used pecans but I bet pistachios would be awesome), and drizzle with honey.  The whipped cream will melt a bit because the pineapple is hot.  Depending on the size of your pineapple and how thick your slices are this should serve about 10 people.

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The beauty of this recipe is that it’s ok to NOT measure things.  It’s easy to scale up or down, just take however much pineapple you want, rub it with some sugar, roast it, serve it with whipped cream (or ice cream?!?!), sprinkle with nuts, drizzle with honey and BAM!  Quick and easy light dessert that will impress all.

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So whether your new years resolution is to lighten up, throw more dinner parties or become a master chef.  This should set you in the right direction.

What’s your New Year’s Resolution?

Orange-Pistachio Biscotti

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Sometimes I wish I had a fashion/style blog like Kendi Everyday, but then I remember I lack a unique sense of fashion (hence why I feel the need to text pictures of my outfits to my friends for approval).

I simply cannot accessorize. If you can, bless your heart.

More importantly, I’ve noted that these style bloggers all have fabulous significant others (or something or other) who can take fantastically flattering pictures of them in random parts of cities.  No luck there for me either.

Instead, I oogle style blogs on a regular basis and stick to making food… like biscotti.  Biscotti is like the silky scarf of cookies, don’t you think?

Orange-Pistachio Biscotti

Better than the average cookie and even more divine when dipped in hot coffee.  The orange and pistachio combination.  Classic.  Like a black dress.

Orange-Pistachio Biscotti

Orange-Pistachio Biscotti

adapted from Allrecipes Biscotti

1/2 canola oil
1 cup white sugar
3 eggs
zest of 2 oranges
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 1/4 cup flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 cup shelled pistachios
2 cup white chocolate chips (plus more for drizzling)
1-2 tsp canola oil

Preheat oven to 375F.  Beat together canola oil, sugar, eggs, orange zest and vanilla until well combined.  Beat in flour and baking soda until almost combined.  Add pistachios and 1 cup of white chocolate chips.  Divide dough in half.  Form into two logs about 2 or 3 inches wide and place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden.  Remove from oven allow to cool until you can handle it without burning yourself.   Reduce oven temperature to 325F.  Then slice at a slight diagonal into half inch slices.  Lay onto baking sheet again and bake 5 minutes on each side.  Allow to cool completely.

Orange Pistachio Biscotti

Once cookies are completely cooled, place white chocolate chips into a bowl and microwave for 30 seconds.  Stir and repeat until chocolate is melted.  Add a teaspoon or two of canola oil until the chocolate is a little runny (but not too much).  Drizzle over cooled cookies.  Allow chocolate to harden and serve with hot coffee or tea.  Makes about 40 cookies and can be stored in an air tight container up to 1 week.

Orange-Pistachio Biscotti

If you, like me, are lacking in the style department, don’t despair.  These cookies will distract anyone from noticing that your shoes don’t match your outfit and you’re missing an earring.

Orange-Pistachio Biscotti

Save the cash you would spend on a new pair of boots and get yourself a Kitchen Aid stand mixer.  That’s what I did today…

…And oh yeah, Happy New Year!

Easier-Than-Pie Creamy Pumpkin Pie

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For Christmas, there are always a million dishes to make.  Usually, Christmas dinner is essentially a repeat of Thanksgiving.  But this year we decided to branch out, so this is our menu:

Usually, my sister and I share cooking duties.  This year, she is very pregnant and swollen.  The last thing we need is labor intensive desserts (even though I ordinarily love those).  But easy doesn’t mean it’s not tasty.

So if you’re in a similar situation (not necessarily pregnant, but just with a lot of cooking to do).  Here’s an easy and amazingly delicious dessert that’s perfect for any holiday celebration.

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Now, I’ll have to warn you. This is not your average pumpkin pie.  It’s not as dense as regular pumpkin pie, not to mention it’s in a graham cracker crust, which is unlike most pumpkin pies.  It’s creamy, almost like a light cheesecake but without the cheese.

If that sounds great to you, then give it a whirl.  If you’re apprehensive… give it a whirl.  I think you’ll love it.

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Easier-Than-Pie Creamy Pumpkin Pie

1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 stick of butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
1 can sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp mace (or nutmeg?)
1 cup sour cream
1-2 tsp molasses
1/4 cup sugar
Candied ginger (optional, for garnish)

Melt butter and combine with graham cracker crumbs and 1/4 cup sugar.  Press into a 9-inch pie dish.  Place in the fridge/freezer until ready to use.

Pre-heat oven to 325F.

In a bowl, beat the yolks a few mins until slightly thick.  Beat in pumpkin puree.  Add spices and then beat in sweetened condensed milk.  Pour filling into prepared pie dish.

Bake 45 mins or until pie is no longer jiggly (this is clearly a scientific method, dating a biochemist will do that to you).   Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

In a separate bowl combine sour cream, molasses and sugar.  Spread over the pie and garnish with sliced candied ginger or any other cute looking topping.  Chill for a few hours in the fridge then serve.

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Well friend, off to my pre-holiday celebration with just me and the boyfriend.   You better believe I have this pie sitting in the fridge for dessert.

Merry Christmas!!

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

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These should probably be called Chocolate Crack Cookies.

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They’re that good. If I were Santa Claus, I would totally want these waiting for me with a huge glass of milk. I don’t even like milk, but I’d take it with these cookies.

The first time I made these was in grad school in 2009 with my friend Rhoda. We made a bunch of different cookies to give to people for the holidays. This was one of them and I remember it being amazing.

So do Santa, your neighbor, your boyfriend, your mom, whoever a favor and make them these cookies.

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

adapted from Blue Ribbon Cookies

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
About 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Melt chocolate in the microwave (30 seconds at a time, stirring in between blast session until completely melted). Drizzle oil into chocolate while stirring. Once combined, add sugar and mix in. Beat in 2 eggs. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt until just combined. Don’t over-mix. Chill dough in the freezer for about an hour or in the fridge for a few hours.

Once your dough has chilled, pre-heat oven to 350F. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper and place powdered sugar in a bowl.

prep cookies

Form dough into walnut sized balls (I made mine a little bigger that than because I’m terrible at calculating size). Roll in powdered sugar and place on parchment paper lined baking sheet. This should make about 24-30 cookies (the recipe says 40, but obviously I have a heavy hand in my cookie forming…)choc crinkle cookies2

Bake 10 minutes. They might look undercooked but that’s okay. Remember my rule about undercooked chocolate things… they’re delicious. Trust me.

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Allow to cool complete and serve with a glass of milk… and a side of carrots and celery for the reindeer… or to balance out the sugar, whatever you want to believe.

Pumpkin Pecan Bundt Cake

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It’s National Pumpkin Day.  Woo let’s celebrate!

Ok, I’m really not that excited, but all of a sudden I’m all about food holidays.  What could it be?

So as a result of pumpkin day, I re-examined some of my old pumpkin-y recipes.

I used to be all about the previous pumpkin-y things I’ve made…

Like these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies

Pumpkin Pizza

Pumpkin Biscuits

And of course who can forget the Fall Cake with a layer of gingerbread cake and another of pumpkin cheese

But I think I found a new pumpkin love… or maybe just the flavor of the minute since it’s the first pumpkin-y thing I’ve eaten all year?  Regardless, this bundt cake is pretty tasty.

I wish I had a cute little pumpkin or plant to stick in the middle of it, but I’m not that festive.  This cake is about as festive as it’s gonna get, let’s concentrate on the taste.

Moist, pumpkin-y and spicy.  What more could you want?

Pumpkin Pecan Bundt Cake

adapted from Cooks Illustrated’s Pumpkin Bread with Ginger

2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp mace
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 can pumpkin puree
2 cups sugar
2 tbsp dark molasses
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tbsp heavy cream
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease and flour a bundt pan, set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices.

In another large bowl, mix together sugar and vegetable oil.  Beat in egg 1 at a time.  Then beat in sour cream, heavy cream, molasses and pumpkin puree.  Beat in flour mixture until just combined.  Fold in pecans and crystallized ginger.

Pour mixture into prepared bundt pan, bake 50-70 minutes (depending on your oven) or until you insert a knife into it and it comes out clean.

Serve and celebrate pumpkin day!

Bourbon Caramel Apple Pie

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So today I realized it’s been a while since I’ve written a blog post.  I blame it on one thing: The Walking Dead.

I’m about 859395 minutes late to the party, so I spent the last week watching the first two seasons.  It was an enormous race to watch all the episodes before the new episode on Sunday.  Good news: I’m all caught up.

Now I freak out when my lights flicker, but that’s okay.  If fictional tv shows freak you out (like they do me), just think of pie.

Then head into the kitchen to make this…

Bourbon Caramel Apple Pie

Single Pie Crust:

175g All Purpose Flour
1 tbsp Sugar
pinch of Salt
1 stick of Butter, cold
2 tbsp (maybe more) Ice Water

Filling:
6 apples, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
3 tbsp bourbon/whiskey

Caramel:

1 cup sugar
3 tbsp butter, softened
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp Bourbon
few pinches of salt

Topping:

1/2 cup Flour
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
2 tbsp White Sugar
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
pinch of Salt
3 tbsp Butter
1 tbsp bourbon

Prepare pie crust by combing flour, sugar and salt.  Using your fingers, break the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles very coarse crumbs (even pea sized is fine).  Add ice water and bring it all together into a ball using your hands.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate a few hours.  You can make this up to two days in advance.

Once your dough has rested sufficiently, you can start to assemble your pie.  Roll our dough and place into a 9inch pie dish, trim the edges, make them look pretty if you’d like.

Next make the caramel.  In a deep saucepan, melt sugar over medium heat.  Do not stir.  Once it reaches a golden brown color, remove from heat.  Stir in butter (it will bubble a lot, keep stirring), then stream in cream while stirring then stir in bourbon and salt.  If you get some clumps it’s not a big deal.    Set aside to cool slightly.

Preheat the oven to 350F.   Stick the prepared crust in the freezer while you make the filling and topping.  For the filling, I like to throw all the ingredients into a large ziploc bag, close it and toss it around.  A bowl works too.

Set aside while you make the topping. Next make crumble topping.  Combine dry ingredients.  Add butter and using your fingers work it into the mixture.  Drizzle in bourbon and toss to combine.  The mixture should look sort of like crumbs.

Next assemble the pie.  Pour a bit of the caramel into the pie crust and spread.  Next lay in half the apple mixture, pour some more caramel sauce (maybe 1/3 of it? also note if your caramel cooled too much and hardened just warm it up a bit on the stove).  Add the remaining apples and drizzle with some more caramel.  You should have about 1/4 of the caramel left over.  Sprinkle the crumble topping on the apples, then drizzle remaining caramel on top.  Place pie on a baking sheet and bake 45-60 mins or until golden and the fruit is bubbling in the middle.

Remove from oven, allow to cool completely then serve!

I recommend having this with a glass of bourbon while watching The Walking Dead (or maybe Vampire Diaries is more your supernatural style?).

Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Butterscotch Cookies

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This is what happens when you are cheap and you go to the grocery store hungry.

Ok that’s not really what happens.  What happens is you buy butterscotch chips that are 50% off, then rack your brain for 2 weeks trying to figure out what to make with them.  Don’t worry if this happens to you make cookies.  Cookies are generally a good idea.

Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Butterscotch Cookies

adapted from Food Network

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a large bowl, cream together brown sugar, butter and peanut butter until smooth.  Beat in egg and vanilla extract.  Add whole wheat flour, baking soda and salt until almost combine.  Fold in butterscotch chips.

Form dough into golf ball sized balls, place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and flatten slightly.  Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden on the bottom.  Place on a cooling rack to cool.  Then serve!

Makes about 20 cookies.

In other news, these cookies were the first thing I made in my new kitchen.

Then I roasted vegetables, made another avocado pie and make an EPIC birthday cake for a co-worker’s bday tomorrow.

Slowly but surely, I’m catching up.  What should I make next?

Avocado Pie

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My boyfriend told me that the first time he heard about me (right before we met over 2 years ago on a random trip to Las Vegas) he thought I was going to be a rich snob.  Makes sense.  I went to Cornell at the time and when I first meet people I tend to be quiet.  I guess that translated to rich-bitch-face for me.  But luckily, we moved past that.

2 years later, he’s coming to find that I’m quite the opposite.  I might be the cheapest person I’ve ever met (after my mother that is… I had to get it somewhere right?).  Yesterday, I had us walk to Costco before going to the movie theater so we could buy the cheaper tickets there.  $8 savings!  I say yes.

My frugality translated to food as well.  For a long time, I would NEVER buy avocados.  $1+ for an avocado seemed outrageous.  But now, I’m growing up.  And guys… I buy avocados.  In fact, I just bought 2 right before writing this post.  Is my cheapness fizzing away?

I don’t think so (the avocados I just bought were on sale), but if you’re cheap like me but want to use your avocados to your full potential, here’s how:

In pie form.

Yes, it’s sweet.  Not savory, and truth be told, I don’t really taste the avocado in it.  What I do taste (and trust me I tasted this one a lot, I ate it for breakfast 3 days last week…) is delicious creamy-ness.

Avocado Pie

from Blue Ribbon Pies (mostly)

1 stick of butter, melted
1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 large avocado (or 1 1/2 small, which is what I used), lightly mashed
1/4 cup lime juice
2 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla
1 can (15 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup sugar

Prepare crust by mixing together melted butter, graham cracker crumbs and 1/4 powdered sugar.  Press into a 9” pie pan.  Put in the freezer until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 325.

Our lime juice over avocado slices and set aside.  In a large bowl, beat egg yolks until thick (few minutes took me about 5?).  Add avocado and lime juice and beat, add vanilla and continue to beat.  Add sweetened condensed milk and beat until well combined.  Pour mixture into prepared graham cracker crust.  Bake 20 minutes.

Allow to cool completely.  Meanwhile, mix together sour cream, vanilla and 1/4 cup sugar.  Once the pie is completely cool, spread sour cream mixture over the pie.  Chill for a few hours (I chilled it over night) then serve!

Ok so cheapness aside, I can’t take credit for this recipe.  I owe it to my lovely friend, Rhoda.  She shares my affinity for pies and cost-effectiveness, which I greatly appreciate.

But take my word for it, make this pie no one will think you’re a cheap-o.  They’ll think your awesome for 1. giving them pie, 2. making an amazing pie that looks crazy but tastes great!