JBug's Kitchen Antics

Huckleberry Cream Cheese Pie

Pardon my ignorance but I didn't know a huckleberry from nothin' until we moved here. Where I grew up in Northern Ontario, wild blueberries are more common and grow on low bushes close to the ground. They're really tiny, packed with flavor and take real dedication and a lot of patience to pick enough for a pie.

Then while living in Western Canada I learned all about the larger more commercial high bush blueberry and about saskatoon berries too but here in Oregon, we're surrounded by wild huckleberries of the blue, black and red variety, along with copious amounts of blackberries too. It's been quite the learning experience.

Big Guy picked a quart in his hiking travels and I stuck them in the freezer to save for a special occasion. Friends visiting from New Mexico and a feed of Dungeness crab seemed like the perfect time to showcase a pie made from the tart, juicy little orbs of deliciousness.

A crisp and sugary shortbread crust (Pate Sucree) blind baked until golden then cooled and topped with a sweetened cream cheese and sour cream pastry cream and crowned in shiny huckleberries is what this stellar pie's all about. Further enhanced by a huckleberry glaze, the pie needs a good 3 hours in the refrigerator before serving to set up, which makes it a perfect dessert candidate when you're picking crab and drinking wine. 

Incidentally you can always substitute another berry like blueberries, blackberries, raspberries or strawberries if huckleberries aren't common in your neck of the woods. Of course you'll have to change the name of the pie, but you already knew that didn't ya.  

Huckleberry Cream Cheese Pie (adapted from Idaho a la Carte)

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup sugar

3 cups huckleberries (divided)

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup water, divided

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 baked and cooled 9 or 10 inch crust (I used Pate Sucree)

 Using an electric mixer and a small bowl, whip together cream cheese, sour cream, vanilla and sugar until mixture is light and fluffy. Spread onto bottom of baked and cooled crust and refrigerate for 1 hour. In a small pot combine 1 cup huckleberries and water. Heat over medium heat until almost boiling. Strain and mash mixture through a sieve leaving seeds and pulp and return juice to the pot (should be 1 cup).  Mix together cornstarch and and sugar and add to juice in pot. Bring to a boil stirring constantly until mixture has thickened and juices are transparent. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Top cream cheese mixture in crust with 2 cups of berries. Spoon glaze mixture over berries return pie to refrigerator. Chill for 2 to 3 hours before cutting. Makes 6 servings. 

Black 'N Blue Peach Pie

We're having a very difficult time adjusting to living on the Oregon Coast. I mean what with moderate coastal temperatures, skin softening humidity that has made those well earned desert wrinkles disappear (well almost), sounds of ocean waves and green, green everywhere you can just imagine how uncomfortable we are. Now here I go telling you about the availability of incredible fresh locally grown fruit and berries ripe for the picking...heck you can see what an impossible situation we find ourselves in. 

Now that we have that out of the way, I have to confess I kinda' made this pie up to take care of 3 over-ripe peaches, a handful of blueberries left over from making muffins and blackberries that are oh so very plentiful on our property right now. Pie crust hiding in the freezer, a desire for crunch and imagination are all that were required before this beauty hit the oven to ruminate for an hour.

Believe me, we could hardly wait for it to cool enough to cut. It's a good thing there was a well abused pizza pan under the pie to catch the overflow or I would have had to clean the oven before I could make another one. Now what should the next combination be? Any ideas?

Black ‘N Blue Peach Pie (an original from JBug’s Kitchen Antics)

Pastry for a single crust pie

3 large peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced

2 cups fresh or frozen blackberries

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

2/3 cup granulated sugar

4 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400. Line deep dish pie pan with pastry and place into freezer for 10 minutes. Meanwhile in a large bowl combine sugar and cornstarch. Fold in peaches, blackberries, blueberries and vanilla and arrange over chilled pastry. Using a tablespoon, drop topping over fruit in pie pan, leaving some spaced between. Place pan on a sheet pan to catch any drips and bake in preheated oven for 55 to 65 minutes or until pie is brown on top and filling “burps”. Cool to room temperature before slicing.

Topping:

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Dash salt

1/4 cup cold butter

1 egg

Whisk sugars, flour, salt and cinnamon together. Using a pastry blender cut butter in until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Whisk egg with a fork and add to crumbs. Toss to combine. 

 

Blackberry Roly Poly Cobbler

Where I come from these are called Diddle Diddle Dumplings and were made famous by the Best of Bridge Ladies in Calgary, Canada who put out a bunch of fabulous cookbooks. You'll see Diddle Diddles on this site in several different versions including the original apple, peach, rhubarb and blueberry but this one is without question the new favorite in our house. Good thing too because we're living in blackberry heaven.

Not your average cobbler, it may take a little more effort but believe you me the extra time is well spent. The unadorned berries are rolled up into a buttery, flakey biscuit like crust, cut into one inch slices then placed cut side up into a baking dish. Smothered in a surgary, buttery vanilla flavored syrup, it all hits the oven and comes out looking like this. Betcha' I know what you're thinking!

Just so you know, we tend to like our desserts a little less sweet but these early blackberries are a trifle on the sour side so I put the full complement of sugar into the recipe, granulated rather than brown because I didn't want anything to mask that incredible berry flavor. To make life easier when you roll the innards into the pastry, I rolled the dough out onto a lightly floured silpat although parchment paper would work as well. I just never seem to have any around and the silpat's the absolute perfect size. Should you lose a few berries when you're transfering the slices into the pan, just tuck 'em in after they've hit the pan. Not a soul will know except for you. 

Enjoy! It's a keeper. Oh by the way, the ice cream is this one using sour cream and yogurt although I jazzed it with bourbon instead of spiced rum. 

Blackberry Roly Poly Cobbler

Sauce:

¼ cup butter

1-1/2 cups sugar

1-1/2 cups water

2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. In a small pot, mix together sugar, water and butter and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. Boil for 5 minutes. Cool briefly and add vanilla. Set aside.

Dough:

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

¾ cup unsalted butter

2/3 cup milk (or buttermilk)

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Using a pastry blender cut in butter until pieces are the size of peas. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add milk. With a fork, combine until just mixed. Move to a floured surface and knead gently for 5 or 6 strokes until dough holds together. Be gentle though! Roll dough into a 10 x 14” rectangle.

Filling:

4 to 5 cups fresh blackberries 

Spray a large 9 x 13” pan or casserole dish with cooking spray.Sprinkle dough evenly with berries leaving a 1 inch border on one long side. Roll the dough from the long side into as tight a roll as you can manage, pressing it together as you go. Seal well. Cut into 1” thick slices and arrange cut side down in prepared pan.

Pour sauce over the dumplings and bake for 50 to 60 minutes in a 350 oven. Serve warm or at room temperature with or without ice cream.

All The Good Stuff Cookies

I'm taking the liberty of calling these cookies how I see 'em because along with the fact they're Big Guy's new favorites, experience (a lot of it)  has shown one can throw almost everything but the kitchen sink into them and they'll be stupendous. 

Along with the usual butter/sugar/egg/oatmeal combination, these puppies have 3 cups of other good stuff - any combination, all of it up to your imagination, such as white chocolate chips, dark chocolate, semi-sweet, butterscotch, peanut butter flavored or cinnamon chips...you name it ... nuts like salted whole cashews, walnuts, almonds, pecans, or hazelnuts, dried fruit such as cranberries, raisins, strawberries, sour cherries, blueberries, chopped up dried apricots, peaches or even dried pineapple or coconut, candies like M & M's, malt balls and the like and I've even thrown in trail mix - you know the kind with whole almonds, raisins, coconut, chocolate chips and dried pineapple chunks.

Chilled for a minimum of one hour before baking, I scoop the dough into whoopie pie pans because they make a darned perfect cookie, but use regular cookie sheets if you must. Just be sure to give them room to expand and let 'em cool completely before removing them from the pan otherwise the cookies will crumble (ah darn huh).

Believe me, the 15 or so minutes it takes to cool 'em will be the longest 15 minutes of your life. Just sayin'. 

Anyway, they might not look picture book pretty but holy cow, they sure do taste mighty fine. Give 'em a try and be sure to let me know about your special combination of good stuff. 

All The Good Stuff Cookies from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from Noble Pig

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar (I used dark, but light is OK too)

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2-1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup oatmeal (I used old fashioned but quick is OK too)

3 cups of good stuff * see Note below

Cooking Spray

 

Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt and set aside.

In bowl of electric mixer whip butter, granulated and brown sugar together until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Scrape sides of bowl down from time to time to incorporate ingredients. Add eggs one at a time and vanilla, beating well to incorporate. On low speed, add flour and mix just until combined. Fold in oatmeal and all the good stuff. Cover dough and chill for a minimum 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350. Spray pans with cooking spray. Using a quarter cup scoop, roll dough into balls and place onto sheet pan or into whoopee pie pans. Bake for 15 minutes or until cookies are golden brown but still slightly soft to the touch in the center. Cool completely before removing from pans. Makes 24 to 26 cookies.

Note:  Three cups of any combination of white chocolate chips, dark chocolate, semi-sweet, butterscotch, peanut butter flavored or cinnamon chips...you name it ... nuts like salted whole cashews, walnuts, almonds, pecans, or hazelnuts, dried fruit such as cranberries, raisins, strawberries, sour cherries, blueberries, chopped up dried apricots, peaches or even dried pineapple or coconut, candies like M & M's, malt balls (leave whole) and the like and I've even thrown in trail mix - you know the kind with whole almonds, raisins, coconut, chocolate chips and dried pineapple chunks. 

 

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

OK so summer may not be offical yet at least as far as the calendar goes but the air is scented with the first sign of the season - at least in our house it is. We've a dehydrator full of ruby red Hood strawberries on the go and believe you me, you can't beat the aroma of those beauties.

That, along with 8 one quart bags of the gems in the freezer and this pie took care of two flats of the juicy sweet berries to say nothing of our Saturday afternoon. Talk about a labor of love. 

Now I don't know about you but the combination of rhubarb and berries, just about any berry, is definitely high on my list of personal favorites and while I'm known to mix rhubarb with rapsberries as a first choice, strawberries come in a very close second. I love the color, the flavor and the appearance of a fruit pie particularly when granulated (aka instant) tapioca and cornstarch are used as thickeners because the juices stay clear and the color true.

That's what I did here and believe you me, this pie's a real winner. Just remember to let the fruit filling mascerate for at least 15 minutes with the sugar/tapioca mixture before it goes between the crusts and for heaven's sake, let the pie burp a bit before you remove it from the oven. Afterall, that's what makes it beautiful. Just sayin'. 

JBug’s Strawberry Rhubarb Pie an original from JBug’s Kitchen Antics

Pastry: (adapted from Ina Garten)

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) very cold unsalted butter

1/3 cup very cold shortening

1/2 to 2/3 cup ice water

Place flour, salt and sugar in food processor with steel blade and pulse a few times to combine. Add butter and shortening cut into cubes to dry ingredients and pulse processor 10 to 12 times or until butter is the size of peas. With motor running gradually add ice water and pulse until pastry comes together. Place pastry into a large zip bag and form into a flattened disc. Press all the air out of the bag and seal. Refrigerate for a minimum half hour.

Pie Filling:

3 cups sliced rhubarb (frozen, slightly defrosted is fine)

3 cups fresh whole strawberries

1-1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup granulated tapioca

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon butter

In a large bowl whisk together sugar, tapioca, cornstarch, vanilla and salt.  Add rhubarb and berries and fold together. Let sit for minimum 15 minutes before continuing.

To make pie – Preheat oven to 400. Divide pastry disc in half and roll out on a well floured board. Line bottom of deep pie tin leaving a 1 inch overhang. Fill with fruit and dot with butter. Roll out top crust and arrange over fruit filling. Seal edges and flute. Decorate as you wish and cut slashes in top crust to allow steam to escape. Place pie tin on lower rack of oven and put a baking sheet underneath to catch any drips. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until crust is golden and juices run clear. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature before cutting. Refrigerate any leftovers. 

Apple Bars with Brown Sugar Ice Cream

Now fess up. Bet you were wondering when I was going to post a sweet treat for the week now weren't you. 

We've been busy the last couple of days installing all those cedar shakes I stained last fall. The good news is we're almost done. The bad news is by almost done I mean we're almost done installing all the shakes I had stained. There's still 3 sides of the house left to do and I'm beginning to wonder if we'll ever get finished. Are you laughing yet?

Anyway since we're expending all this energy I figured the least I could do was make something decadent to have with our afternoon tea break. I combined 2 recipes - the crust from my favorite lemon bar recipe and the filling for a shredded apple pie to come up with these rather fabulous moist and yummy cinnamon flavored apple bars. Hey, I could have made an apple pie but I only had 2 apples AND I didn't feel like fiddling with pastry making. Just being honest here.

I don't know about you but I need ice cream with any apple goodness so I put my thinking cap on and checked the refrigerator to see what was in it. I had a carton of sour cream with a pending expiration date and a few other almost empty containers of yogurt and half and half. I put 'em all together, threw in dark brown sugar and a little booze to keep it all from freezing hard as cement and this ultra creamy, rich, slightly tart but sweet scoop of totally decadent bliss was the result.

The dark brown sugar gives the ice cream a fabulous caramel like flavor and the creamy texture's the other side of perfect, if there is such a thing. 

Brown Sugar Sour Cream Ice Cream from JBug’s Kitchen Antics

16 ounces sour cream

1 cup half and half

1/2 cup yogurt

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons spiced rum or bourbon

Whip all ingredients together except for the liquor for 5 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate a minimum of 3 hours. Remove from refrigerator and stir in rum. Freeze in ice cream maker per manufacturer’s directions for 20 minutes or until the consistency of soft serve. Scoop into a container with a tight fitting lid and freeze until firm. Makes about 1 quart.

 Apple Bars

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup hard unsalted butter

1/4 cup sugar

Pinch of salt

 Spray a 9 x 9 inch square pan with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350. Combine flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Cut butter into dry ingredients until crumbled. Press into pan and bake for 20 minutes.

Filling:

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup soft butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 medium granny smith apples, peeled and shredded

In a medium bowl combine sugar, flour and cinnamon until well mixed. Add butter and vanilla and whip until mixture is light and fluffy. Fold in shredded apples. Spread mixture over baked crust and return to the oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown on top.  Cool to room temperature before cutting. 

 

Orange Buttermilk Sherbet

Now please don't wrinkle up your nose at the use of buttermilk before you hear me out, OK? I'm here to say buttermilk's good for a lot more than just soaking chicken before frying it or pouring into corn bread or chocolate cake batter.

Inspired by a repeat of the roasted strawberry sherbet we made way back in September only as a cherry version because I ran out of frozen strawberries (sorry no pictures because we were too busy eating) had me thinking of something to make with the rest of the quart of dairy goodness left in the refrigerator. Seeing as oranges are practically a dime a dozen, I figured I'd whip up a batch of creamsicle flavored sherbet just because there's nothing better than fresh citrus to perk up a winter weary palate.

I adapted a recipe from Alton Brown (here), added a splash of peach schnapps because the alcohol keeps it all from freezing cement hard and switched out the whole milk for buttermilk. Hey at 99 calories a cup and 3 percent fat instead of whole milk's 146 with 8 grams of fat, it's kind of a no brainer but the real bonus is the flavor! Its wonderful tartness was right on the money.

While the roasted strawberry sherbet is my personal favorite, the texture and pronounced orange flavor of this one's definitely pleasing and we enjoyed it very much; however, it is much sweeter than it could be so next time I'll cut down on the sugar a tad (5 ounces instead of 7) and maybe add a little sour cream to the mix for added richness. I'll be sure to let you know how it turns out. Oh and by the way, spend the time to make sure the sugar's dissolved well before it hits the ice cream maker or you'll end up with a grainy mouth feel and who the heck wants that, right?

Orange Buttermilk Sherbet from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from Alton Brown, foodnetwork.com

7 ounces granulated sugar

Grated zest from 1 large orange

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice (4 large oranges)

1 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons peach schnapps or triple sec (or vodka)

1-1/2 cups buttermilk

Using an immersion blender, combine all ingredients except buttermilk until sugar is dissolved. Transfer mixture to a large container with a tight fitting lid and stir in buttermilk. Mix well, then cover and refrigerate until very cold. Process in ice cream maker per manufacturer’s directions until mixture is the consistency of soft service ice cream, then freeze until firm – about 3 hours. Makes 1 quart. (Note -  the addition of liquor will keep the sherbet from freezing rock hard and make serving easier but feel free to leave it out and substitute a teaspoon of vanilla instead). 

 

Cherry Berry Pie

There's nothing quite like a cherry berry pie for dessert in the dead of winter, or anytime for that matter. Somehow I just knew I'd appreciate the fruit more now than I did during the hours spent cleaning flats of strawberries and pitting cherries this past summer. 

I've made a lot of pies in my lifetime and it is often a crap shoot as to how they'll turn out because so much depends on how juicy the berries are to begin with never mind that I haven't always had the best of luck in the pastry department. Lately I've been using a recipe from Ina Garten which has yet to fail me, enough so that I'm at the point of claiming it as my own (almost). Can I do that without the Ina police coming after me?

Anyway, as for the pie's innards - frozen, direct from the freezer strawberries, sweet cherries and wild blueberries went into this one along with a limited amount of sugar (because we don't like our pies too sweet) mixed with both flour and cornstarch. A few pats of butter and a lot of oven time, a fair bit of patience and here's the result.

Just so you know - 

• I use a deep dish pie tin with a removable bottom so you may have to adjust the filling quantities you use depending on the size of pie pan you're using;
• Should you be making this pie with fresh rather than frozen fruit, you'll need to lower the amount of thickening agents (flour and cornstarch) because frozen berries have more juices than fresh ones
• Baking time may vary and because the fruit's frozen, it'll take longer than it will if you're using fresh fruit. About the only way I can tell a pie is really done is by the amount and consistency and color of juices it burps out from under the pastry lid. In my opinion, more burping is better so be sure to put a sheet pan under the pie plate to collect all the drips. 

 

Cherry Berry Pie an original from JBug’s Kitchen Antics with pastry recipe from Ina Garten

Pastry:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) very cold unsalted butter

1/3 cup very cold shortening

1/2 to 2/3 cup ice water

Place flour, salt and sugar in food processor with steel blade and pulse a few times to combine. Add butter and shortening cut into cubes to dry ingredients and pulse processor 10 to 12 times or until butter is the size of peas. With motor running gradually add ice water and pulse until pastry comes together. Place pastry into a large zip bag and form into a flattened disc. Press all the air out of the bag and seal. Refrigerate for a minimum half hour.

Pie Filling:

2 cups frozen blueberries (I used wild berries)

2 cups frozen whole strawberries (heaping cups)

2 cups frozen pitted sweet cherries (heaping cups)

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon butter

In a large bowl whisk together sugar, flour, cornstarch and salt. Add berries and fold together to dust frozen berries with dry ingredients.

To make pie – Preheat oven to 450. Divide pastry disc in half and roll out on a well floured board. Line bottom of pie tin leaving a 1 inch overhang. Fill with fruit pouring excess dry ingredients into center of pie. Dot with butter. Roll out top crust and arrange over fruit filling. Seal edges and flute. Decorate as you wish and cut slashes in top crust to allow steam to escape. Place pie tin on a flat baking sheet to catch any drips and bake pie for 15 minutes.

 Reduce heat to 350 and continue baking for 60 to 90 minutes or until juices escape top of pie and run clear. Cool on a wire rack. 

Two years ago - Pancetta and Smoked Mozzarella Pizza

Carrot Cake Whoopie Pies

I've made a lot of whoopie pies in my day. You name the kind, it's been cooling in JBug's kitchen at some point.

Whoopie pies were the end of year reward for one of Big Guy's classes when they turned in their final essay aka take home exam. It started out as a lark when his class numbers were small but it wasn't such a lark at the end when he had over 75 students in the class. At least I only had to make 75 plus extras. He had to mark the essays. 

Not wanting to lose the knack of making the things never mind I've two of these fancy pans to make the job easier along with the fact I needed something semi-wholesome to put into Big Guy's lunch, a carrot cake version seemed like a good idea. I found the recipe here and I'm writing it for you below because I did make a few changes - enough to warrant a re-write. 

Tasting of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice, I pepped up the pecans by toasting them first because the flavor is really intensified to say nothing of the extra crunch. The result's pretty darned incredible, especially the maple cream cheese filling. It is absolutely amazing. 

In case you're wondering whether I'd make any changes on the next go round - I have to be honest and say I'd leave out the coconut. It isn't that I don't like the stuff but just that I wasn't crazy about it in the "pies". Some well drained crushed pineapple would have been much more to my taste. Oh, and be sure to watch the cooking time because there can't be anything more sacrilegious than dry carrot cake. Just sayin'. 

Carrot Cake Whoopie Pies (from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from bettycrocker.com and Baked Bree)

Cooking spray

2 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup softened unsalted butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1-1/2 cups grated carrots

1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut

1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 350. Spray pans with cooking spray and set aside. In a small bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and salt. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat together butter and sugars until light and fluffy – about 5 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time and scrape bowl down in between. Add vanilla. Add dry ingredients and beat only until combined. Fold in carrots, coconut and nuts and mix only until combined. Using a 2 ounce scoop, drop batter into pans or onto parchment lined cookie sheets. Dip your fingers into cold water and flatten batter slightly in pans. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until just cooked. Do not over bake. Cool for 5 minutes, and then remove to wire racks and cool completely. To finish, place 2 tablespoons of maple cream filling in between 2 cookies to make a sandwich. Wrap and store in refrigerator or freeze.  Makes 12 pies.

Maple Cream Filling:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 – 8 ounce package of cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons good quality maple syrup (I used B grade from Trader Joe’s)

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups powdered sugar

Using an electric mixer, beat together salt and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add maple syrup and vanilla and beat well. Slowly add powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy.  

A year ago - Turkey Chili with Cranberries and Chipotle

 

Two years ago - Sunday Gravy

Chocolate Raspberry Brownie Truffle Torte

Brownie's are kind of a crap shoot in JBug's Kitchen. There's just some things I can never get right, ya' know what I mean? I love a dense chewy brownie but unfortunately mine often turn out dry and cakey and edible only if topped with a half inch thick layer of chocolate buttercream and a scoop of vanilla with a drizzle of chocolate sauce. Darn!

At least that was the case until this recipe adapted from The Best of Bridge Ladies came along. Now I use it all the time whenever I'm craving brownies or want to come up with a special dessert, particularly since Big Guy's absolutely nuts about chocolate raspberry anything. Who doesn't like that combination, right?

Picture if you will, a torte with a chewy chocolate brownie base loaded with dark cocoa, butter and raspberry jam.  Baked until it still has a little "jiggle" in the middle, the base is cooled before it is topped with a layer of chocolatey cream, then finished with a disc of chocolate raspberry flavored "fudge". Ooo la la. I'm tellin' ya, it is to die for.

You're looking at our Christmas dessert and the best thing about it ...it took us the whole of Christmas week to finish it off. Oh my gosh my golly who needs mistletoe and holly. I'll be making it again PDQ!

Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Torte (a JBug's Kitchen original adapted from Best of Bridge Series Cookbooks)

Base:

9 level tablespoons good quality unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces

1/4 cup raspberry jam (I used seedless)

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup flour

Preheat oven to 350. Line 8 inch round pan with removable bottom with parchment paper. Spray with cooking spray. Set aside. Combine cocoa, butter and jam in a small saucepan and heat over low heat, stirring constantly until butter has melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and set aside. Using electric mixer, beat eggs until light and foamy. Add sugar, vanilla and chocolate mixture and beat well to combine. Stir in flour mixing just until blended (be careful not to over mix at this point). Spread batter into prepared pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or just until cake has set and has a little “jiggle” in the center. DO NOT OVERBAKE. Remove from oven and place on a rack. Run a sharp knife around the inside of the pan but do not remove cake from pan. Cool completely.

Chocolate Cream:

8 ounces semi sweet chocolate pieces

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup hot milk

Place chocolate, egg and vanilla into blender container and pulse until chocolate is chopped. With the motor running, pour in hot milk and blend until smooth. Pour over cooled brownie layer. Refrigerate for 45 minutes.

Topping:

2 tablespoons heavy cream

2 tablespoons raspberry jam

2 tablespoons butter

4 ounces semi sweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped (do not use unsweetened)

Combine cream, jam and butter in a small pot and heat over medium low heat stirring constantly until butter is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and add chocolate, stirring until chocolate has melted. Cool until just starting to thicken – about 30 minutes.

Pour topping into middle of the cake onto partially set chocolate cream and spread slightly to within 1 inch of the edge. Return to refrigerator until set. (Takes about 3 hours).

Slice cake into small wedges and top with whipped cream. Garnish with fresh raspberries

 A year ago - Hash Brown Casserole

Two years ago - Pan Fried Tilapia with Romesco Sauce 

Three years ago - Chocolate Gelato

 

 

 

Apple Cranberry Cobbler

When cranberries arrive in our local stores I make a habit of picking up as many bags as I can to hide in the freezer. They're kinda' hard to come by in the off season and there's just so many things you can do with them.

We have a particular fondness for the combination of sweet apples and tart cranberries and while I was thinking about making a pie like the one I posted a few years ago, to be honest I've been feeling rather lazy lately and cobbler is so much easier to make. This particular version is adapted from Land o Lakes but seeing as we enjoy desserts on the less sweet side, I cut the amount of sugar called for, added cranberries and put in a teaspoon or two of vanilla as well. I also used a combination of Gala and Granny Smith apples because they each bring a completely different flavor and texture to the party.

The end result is quite honestly one of my better efforts and while it would be fabulous with some home made ice cream like cinnamon, or sour cream vanilla, it is just fine on its own - warm from the oven with a sweet tart cinnamon kissed filling and crunchy vanilla flavored crust. 

Apple Cranberry Cobbler (from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from Land O’ Lakes

4 large Gala apples, peeled, cored and sliced

4 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced

1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Crust:

2 cups all purpose flour

1-1/4 cups granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

2/3 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350. Place apples and cranberries in a large ungreased gratin pan or a 13 x 9 inch casserole dish. Sprinkle sugar and cinnamon over fruit.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, eggs, baking powder, salt, and vanilla and beat with electric mixer until mixture is crumbled – about 30 seconds. Sprinkle over fruit in casserole. Pour melted butter over the top. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling. Serve warm. 

A year ago - Baked Potato Pie

Two years ago - Old Fashioned Swiss Steak

Three years ago -  Roasted Tomato Soup with Spinach Pesto

Caramel Pumpkin Orange Cheesecake

Ah, Thanksgiving. Yes people, this two country couple enjoyed Canada's version yesterday and we've the leftovers to prove it. Thank goodness for that too because it means the kitchen will be mostly dark today because there's no need to cook. Sounds like a vacation doesn't it?

Since we enjoyed the usual turkey, stuffing, gravy, veggie kind of meal I won't bore you with the details but I do want to share this rather lovely pie substitute we had for dessert. Snitched from Sunset magazine via myrecipes.com, it marries the somewhat unusal flavors of pumpkin and orange zest with a chocolate crust and real caramel topping. 

It is rich and creamy, not overly sweet, surprisingly light and the chocolate crust and zesty orange flavor really come through. Bonus - I actually made it on Friday and served it yesterday (Sunday) which made it a hostess' dream never mind it gave the flavors a chance to mellow. It's awesome and I've no hesitation in saying it deserves a second act for our next Thanksgiving production coming up at the end of November.

Incidentally, while the recipe calls for chocolate wafer cookies for some reason they're a little hard to find around here so I used regular graham cracker crumbs along with a few tablespoons of extra dark cocoa. I also used a combination of cinnamon, ginger, cloves and allspice instead of pumpkin pie spice but that's just because I'm ornery and I also forgot to sprinkle the coarse sea salt on the caramel that I scratch made but nobody missed what they hadn't tried before anyway. Give it a try and I think you'll agree - it's a real keeper!

Caramel Pumpkin Orange Cheesecake from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from myrecipes.com

1 cup graham wafer crumbs

2 tablespoons dark cocoa powder

1/2 cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 350. Combine wafer crumbs, cocoa powder and melted butter together until well mixed. Place crumbs into an 8 or 9 inch pan with a removable bottom and press evenly on bottom and up sides of pan. Bake 7 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Lower oven to 300.

Filling:

3 – 8 ounce packages cream cheese (room temperature)

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon flour

1 -1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

4 eggs (room temperature)

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup maple syrup

Zest of 2 oranges

Chopped pecans for garnish

Caramel Sauce

Coarse Sea Salt for garnish

Whip cream cheese until light. Add sugars, flour and spices and beat until smooth. Beat in eggs 1 at a time at low speed. Add pumpkin, cream, sour cream, maple syrup and orange zest. Mix just until combined. Pour onto cooled crust and level top with a spatula. Bake for 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours until cheesecake is done and has just a slight movement in the center. Remove from oven to a wire rack and using a sharp knife run it around the edge of the cheesecake to prevent cake from cracking as it cools. Cool for at least 1 hour and then cover and refrigerate overnight.

 To serve, remove cake from pan and coat sides with chopped pecans. Pour approximately 2/3 cup of caramel over cake. Cut into slices and serve garnished with a sprinkle of coarse sea salt.

Caramel Sauce:

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup water

1-1/4 cups heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

In a large saucepan with a heavy bottom heat sugar and water over low heat until sugar dissolves. Do not stir! Increase heat to medium high and boil until mixture is a medium amber color, washing down sides of pot from time to time with a pastry brush dipped in water. Watch mixture carefully to make sure it doesn’t burn. When of desired color, remove from heat and slowly add cream. Mixture will bubble vigorously so be careful. Return to heat and cook stirring constantly for 30 seconds. Remove from heat. Add vanilla. Cool and refrigerator until serving. Reheat briefly to a pourable consistency.  

 A year ago -  Pork and Apple Pie in a Bowl

Two year's ago -  Old Settler Beans

Three year's ago -  Baked Haddock with Onion and Bacon Crust

 

Old Fashioned Apple Spice Pudding Cake

Yesterday's lunch was very late and rather large (we had the rest of the stew), so dinner was out of the question except for dessert of course. Big Guy got doing what big guy's do and I ran away from home but forgot to pack a peanut butter sandwich so when hunger hit I had to bite the bullet and come back. Tough eh?

The apples we picked at Old Strawberry Farm a few weeks ago need attention and were calling from the refrigerator so this pudding is an answer to the call of fall if you know what I mean. 

Inspired by a Country Spice Pudding Cake we've made here before, I sauteed 4 apples in a little butter and sprinkle of sugar and put them on the bottom of a large heavy skillet. Topped with a cross between cake and biscuits and sent to the oven swimming in a brown sugar sauce, it came out 30 minutes later looking delish and smelling like caramel apples.

Served with a dollop of whipped topping, it may be superlative with vanilla or dulce de leche ice cream but neither seem to hang around these parts for long because the "crazy woman on the hill" gets her mitts into it. Uh huh, that would be me.  

By the way, this recipe would be lovely baked in 6 ounce jam jars as individual servings and honestly I sure wish I'd thought of it before just this minute. I'll do it next time and tell you all about it. 

Apple Spice Pudding Cake (adapted from Best of Bridge Series Cookbooks, The Best of the Best)

4 apples, peeled, cored and cut into wedges

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 cup flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup raisins

1/2 cup milk

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Sauce:

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 cup butter, cut into small pieces

2 cups boiling water

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 375. Heat butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add sugar and when sugar melts, add apples. Saute stirring occasionally until apples have released their liquid and start to turn brown. Remove from heat and set aside. 

Using a fork, combine flour, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon, salt and raisins. Add milk and vanilla and combine just until mixed. Do not over-mix or the cake will be tough. Spoon onto apples and level out as best you can. Batter will be very thick.

In a bowl or large mixing cup, combine brown sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Add boiling water and butter and stir well until butter has melted. Stir in vanilla. Pour over cake in pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream.  Makes 6 servings.

A year ago - Chipotle and Cranberry Braised Turkey Thighs

A year ago - Cornish Pasties

Two year's ago - Beef Fajitas with Blackened Tomato Salsa

Pumpkin Spice Cake

I've been stocking up on canned pumpkin lately which is pretty normal this time of year and hit the stash yesterday to make our first pumpkin cake of the season. Is there anything that smells better than a cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, clove laden cake in the oven on an early autumn evening?

This one's from Martha Stewart and pretty well a never fail kind of thing as long as you remember not to over mix it after adding the dry ingredients. Oh, I also took the long way around the spice cupboard and used individual spices instead of pumpkin pie spice but if you have it, go for it OK? Just make sure your spices are fresh or you'll be disappointed with the results. I also added vanilla to the mix because I make my own and it is at its exceptional peak right now and baked the cake in my favorite round cakepan with a removable bottom just so I could show off a bit. 

Instead of making Martha's honey frosting, a whipped butter and cream cheese with honey concoction, I made my favorite cream cheese vanilla frosting instead just because we love the stuff and any old excuse to make it is a good one.  Anyway, what more can I say.

This is really a super cake - dense, uber moist, intensely spiced and perfectly balanced with a tart sweetness of cream cheese frosting.  Split in the middle and frosted with a dusting of powdered sugar on top so there's frosting in every bite, it is quintessential Fall on a plate. 

As for what's up here on the Oregon Coast, the sun's just coming up and there's blue sky showing through a smattering of clouds. The surf has settled down from this week's storm and it's looking like a glorious day is on the way. Big Guy will be hitting the sunfreckled sea searching for the ever elusive salmon and I'm off to work. MMMM - is there something wrong with this "retirement" picture? 

Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from Martha Stewart Living

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon allspice

1/8 teaspoon cloves

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

1-1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)

1 can – 15 ounces solid pack pumpkin puree

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9 inch round or square pan with cooking spray and set aside. Whisk together dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl and set aside. In a large mixing bowl whisk melted butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla and pumpkin until well mixed. Using a spatula fold in dry ingredients and mix until just smooth. Transfer ingredients into prepared pan and level top. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Cool on a rack.

Remove from pan and slice in half. Place frosting in center and cake. Dust top with powdered sugar. Serve.  (Store leftovers in refrigerator).

Frosting:

1/4 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups powdered sugar

Heavy cream as needed

Whip butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Add vanilla and whip to combine. Slowly add powdered sugar and whip until light and fluffy. Add heavy cream as needed to make frosting spreading consistency. 

A year ago - Apple Cider Chicken 

Two year's ago - Ina's Plum Cake Tatin

Three year's ago -  Sole Almondine

 

Roasted Strawberry Sherbet

I know that it's getting a little late to be making frozen desserts now that Summer has officially given way to Fall but our friend Sharron introduced us to this addictive lusciousness during the height of strawberry season and Big Guy's been after me ever since to make it. It only took me 3 months to get around to it. Boy, am I a fool!

From our friends at Bon Appetit via epicurious.com, it all starts with 4 cups of strawberries, fresh from the freezer in our case, mixed with sugar and a split vanilla bean. Roasted at 450 for 20 minutes until the sugar dissolves and the juices thicken and bubble gloriously, the ruby like gems are blended with a mixture of buttermilk and sour cream then hit the ice cream freezer for about 25 minutes. Personally, I was thinking ewwww yuk when I saw the buttermilk but boy, was I wrong. That butter bi-product is good for more than just baking or salad dressings. 

The result speaks for itself and so does the color (and no, I did not adjust the photo in any way, shape or form). Intensely flavored, incredibly smooth, rich and slightly tart, I swear with its creamy texture and mouth feel, it could pass for the Queen of ice creams unless you know the difference. The use of buttermilk and light sour cream make it a low fat stand in which really must mean you can have twice as much, right?

Our friend John exclaimed on his first spoonful "Woman, whatever did you do to that strawberry" which kinda' sums it all up. Now Big Guy's on a mission to find some late peaches so we can roast 'em up and see if we achieve the same results. We'll be sure to let you know!

  


To update you on what's happening here at Heaven's Gate, the storm was downsized and brought lots of rain and winds gusting to 35 so Big Guy and John figured it was OK to hit the bay for a crabbing expedition. Something about testosterone, ya think? Anyway the same calm view we normally enjoy was as they said  "a little rough" but from my point of view it looked like suicide. Then again I'm the one with a water phobia. Anyway, they came home with lots of stories to tell including saving another boat from drifting away but only 1 crab for their afternoon's work on the high seas.

They're heading back out later this morning after getting some honey do jobs accomplished, one of which was repairing the flag pole. They kinda' look a bit like Frick n Frack, or is it the Bobbsey Twins and Hardy Boys all rolled into one, huh! Yikes, now I'm dating myself aren't I.

 John's on the left and and Steve on the right in the last photo. They've been friends and hunting partners for many moons and in fact sometimes even finish each other's sentences...and yes they have no clue they could both use a citation from the fashion police. LOL 

Incidentally, in case you're wondering what the difference is between sherbet and ice cream, here's the goods, also thanks to epicurious.com:

" ...Sherbet and Ice Milk

Lighter than ice cream, these contain less dairy but still have a creamy texture. Lower fat content means brighter flavors.

Ice Cream
Often starts out as an egg-based custard. It’s the creamiest of all frozen desserts, containing at least 10% milk fat by law in the U.S.

And now you know. –Mary-Frances Heck" 

Roasted Strawberry Sherbet from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from Bon Appetit via epicurious.com)

4 cups frozen strawberries

1 cup granulated sugar

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

1-1/2 cups buttermilk

1/3 cup sour cream

Pinch sea salt (or kosher)

Preheat oven to 450. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean and add pod and seeds to a large bowl. Add frozen strawberries and sugar and toss together. Place onto a baking pan with high sides (I used an extra-large sheet pan with high sides) and roast for 20 to 25 minutes or until juices are bubbling. Watch carefully so the pan doesn’t overflow and stir occasionally. Let cool.

Remove vanilla pod. Place strawberries and liquid into a blender along with buttermilk, sour cream and salt. Puree until smooth. Pour into an ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until serving time.

Makes approximately 1-1/2 quarts. 

 

Butter and Salt Jammers

 What do muffins, cupcakes and cookies have in common? Are you stumped? They're all made in the same kind of pan. I tell you no lie.  

 

Imagine my surprise when I saw these fabulous cookies on one of my favorite blog sites "Dinner With Julie". Thanks to her, I gave these beauties a try. Never mind that she's a trusted source, but the kicker is these "Beurr et Sel Jammers" are created by Dorie Greenspan herself and I happen to adore that woman and admire her kitchen talents.

Now, picture little balls of shortbread dough pushed into the bottom of muffin tins, topped with jam and finished with a buttery salty streusel. Baked until golden, the only difficult part about making the darn things is the wait until they're barely lukewarm so you can take 'em out of the pan. I solved that little issue though. I made mine in silicone muffin forms (I can't in all conscience as a Canadian call them a pan or a tin because they're not)...and when they came out of the oven, I shoved them in the freezer for 10 minutes so they cooled PDQ and they popped out quick and easy like nobody's business.  I mean why wait?

The rich and tender little morsels of buttery bliss keep beautifully in an airtight tin, given they hang around long enough. Personally, I think they rival Dorie's Apple Cake (here) for her very best ever, though you can take that with a grain of salt because I'm still working on making "all" of her other creations. I'm going to be at it for a while. Just sayin'. 

Incidentally, I did what Julie suggested and instead of rolling the dough out and cutting it to fit the cups, I dropped a little morsel into the bottom of the pan and pressed it in with a floured glass. I put them in the freezer to firm up, then finished 'em with jam and streusel before they hit the oven. 

If you haven't made these cookies yet, you absolutely have to give them a try. They're amazing!

Beurre et Sel Jammers from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from Dorie Greenspan via Dinner with Julie)

1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 large egg yolks

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

In a large bowl of electric mixer, beat butter, sugars and salt until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla. Add flour and stir just to combine. Form one inch balls and press into bottom of muffin tins. Freeze for 10 minutes or until very firm.

Streusel:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extra

5 tablespoons hard butter, cubed

Combine flour, sugar, salt and vanilla. Cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Set aside.

To finish cookies:

Chunky jam (I used raspberry)

Preheat oven to 350. Remove muffins tins from freezer and using a teaspoon, drop a small spoonful of jam into the center of each cookie. Surround the jam with streusel crumbs leaving jam uncovered. Bake for 20 minutes or until cookies are golden brown. Cool in pans then remove from pan.  Makes about 2 dozen.

A year ago - Baked Gnocchi with Italian Sausage and Bechamel

A year ago - Sun Dried Tomato Pesto on Halibut

Two year's ago -  Fettucini Alfredo with Crab

Brandy Banana Pudding In a Jar

I know you probably think I spend all day staring out the window at the ocean and dreaming about what sweet treat for the week I can come up with. Well you'd be right!

This one came about after I noticed the half used package of ladyfingers in the pantry and while I would have loved some tiramisu, I mean really who doesn't, there just weren't enough cookies in the package. Stealing from the theme of crunchy ladyfingers dipped in booze and smothered with layers of creamy sweet custard, I added banana slices and went one better by building our sweet treats in a jar - 8 of them to be exact.

Afterall, they're so much easier to store and perfect for chowing down in front of the television or while you're devouring your latest Lee Child, Michael Connelly or Robert Crais novel. 

There! Now you know what I do when I'm not staining shakes or staring out the window. Of course after losing my glasses in the ocean while helping Big Guy launch the boat yesterday, it'll be a bit before I do much of anything. Good thing I don't wear 'em when I'm on the computer, huh.

As for other dessert in a jar ideas, here ya' go. They are all delicious but I have to admit these brandy soaked creamy banana loaded ones are about the best yet - at least until next time.  

      Key Lime Pie            Sticky Toffee Pudding         Cheesecake In A Jar 

Brandy Banana Pudding In A Jar an original from JBug’s Kitchen Antics

1 – 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk (I used Eagle Brand)

2 cups cold water

1/2 cup half and half

1 – 6 serving size package instant vanilla pudding mix

1 cup whipped cream or whipped topping (I used Cool Whip)

3 small bananas sliced and dipped into juice from 1 lemon

16 lady fingers

1/4 cup brandy

Whisk sweetened condensed milk with water and half and half until well blended. Whisk in vanilla pudding mix and mix for 2 minutes or until really well blended. Refrigerate for 5 minutes. Fold in cool whip.

Meanwhile cut lady fingers to fit height of 8 – 6 ounce jam jars. Dip lady fingers as well as cut pieces into brandy and arrange in jars with small cut pieces on the bottom and longer pieces up 2 sides of the jar. Arrange a small spoonful of pudding in bottom of each jar and top with banana slices. Keep going in layers until jars are full, ending with pudding on top. Seal with lids and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Top with additional whipped topping. Makes 8 servings.

A year ago - Clams Casino Pasta 

Two year's ago - Portobello Mushrooms with Italian Stuffing

Three year's ago -  Moroccan Serpent Pie

 

Apple Kuchen

We made a huge mistake last night. I had planned to make halibut in a thai red curry for dinner. In fact, I've had the dish on the menu for the past 3 weeks or more but I think it might be cursed and going the way of the Do-Do bird.

Last night the halibut was thawed, ingredients gathered and dessert cooling on the counter when we did the supremely stupid and watched a recorded episode of Pioneer Woman before starting dinner. Ree made Mexican food ...delicious looking, soul satisfying Mexican food. We looked at each and said almost as one voice "let's go to Azul" so we did.  

As a result, all I have to talk to you about this morning is the apple kuchen I made for dessert. We've had this lovely German cross between a cake and a pie before as a perfect celebration of the stone fruit season. It's heavenly made with plums and peaches or nectarines are grand too. Heck, I've even made it with pears before - sweet, juicy Riviera pears (aka Comice) as a matter of fact, but this one is simply apples with a little extra butter and a touch of lemon juice on them to juice 'em up a bit.

You see, I used Granny Smith apples and to be honest they're kind of dry which makes 'em good in some ways because they hold their shape when baked, but not so good when you need some juices like you do when you're making a kuchen. I know there's a layer of lovely vanilla flavored sweet cream custard poured on top of the apples after the kuchen's in the oven for 25 minutes, but it still isn't enough.  

All I can say is next time I make an apple kuchen I'll use a Granny Smith along with a MacIntosh and maybe a Golden Delicious because they all bring a different flavor and texture to the party. Otherwise an apple kuchen is a tasty morsel of slightly sweet kinda tart crunchy creamy subtlely cinnamon vanilla flavored delicious excuse for a second piece. I'm heading there right now - nothing like a little kuchen for Sunday breakfast.

I wonder how it will go with a Bloody Mary. Nah!

Apple Kuchen (an original from JBug’s Kitchen Antics)

1 cup sugar

1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup cold butter (1 stick) cut into cubes

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9 inch spring form pan with cooking spray and set aside. Combine sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon and baking powder together in a bowl. Cut in butter until mixture forms coarse crumbs. Remove half a cup of crumbs and set aside. Put remaining crumbs into spring form pan and spread evening on bottom of pan. Do not press in but leave in loose crumbles.

3 apples – best combination 1 Granny Smith, 1 Golden Delicious, 1 Macintosh

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon butter

Peel and core apples. Slice into thin wedges and toss with lemon juice. Arrange on top of crumbs in spring form pan. Dot with butter and sprinkle with reserved crumbs. Place in preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, beat together

1 cup heavy cream

1 egg

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Top kuchen with mixture and return to oven. Continue to bake for additional 35 to 40 minutes or until custard has set. Cool to room temperature before serving. 

A year ago - Risotto with Pancetta and Duck

Two year's ago - Pork & Squash Pot Pie with White Cheddar Crust

Three year's ago - Green Chile Chili

Strawberries and Cream in a Pie

For some unknown reason I didn't much feel like cooking last night so Big Guy took me out for pizza. Hey, a little restaurant food every once and a while makes you appreciate just how darned good you have it at home so instead of bragging about last nights pizza I'll tell you about this quick and easy Strawberry Pie I made on Thursday instead.

A recipe from Idaho a la CArte, they use huckleberries for this fabulous creamy concoction, but I begged to differ. I used a purchased graham wafer crust just because I'm lazy and loaded it up with the oh so quick to make cream cheese, sour cream, good vanilla and granulated sugar filling. Allowed to chill for an hour, I added lovely Oregon strawberries direct from our freezer and as if by magic the pie was done. 

It's really quite lovely if I do say so myself as the not too sweet, slightly tart filling pairs very nicely with those super sweet moisture packed strawberries; however, if you are using frozen berries like I did you'll want to eat the pie fairly quickly (within a day or so) because otherwise the moisture from the berries will eventually make it into pie soup.

Feel free to switch out the berries if you want and use raspberries, blackberries or blueberries or even fresh peach or plum slices would be rather incredible too. You're only limited by your imagination, so go for it OK?

As for today, Big Guy's off to take a "Boat Oregon Class", a mandatory boater education coarse that's necessary if you want to rev a motor in your own watercraft. As for me, I'll be spending the day doing some much needed house cleaning and putzing in the kitchen although on this foggy rainy day, I'd much rather curl up in front of the fireplace with a cup of tea and a good book.  MMM, doesn't sound like a bad plan huh?

Strawberries and Cream Pie (adapted from Idaho A La Carte)

 8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

¼ cup sugar

1 – 9 inch graham cracker crust

1 quart fresh or frozen strawberries (if using frozen, do not thaw first)

Whipped topping or whipped cream as garnish

Using an electric mixer and a small bowl, whip together cream cheese, sour cream, vanilla and sugar until mixture is light and fluffy. Spread onto bottom of graham crust and refrigerate. Chill a minimum one hour. Place frozen or fresh berries on top of pie with stem end down. Chill until serving. Top with whipped cream. Makes 6 servings. 

A year ago - Orange Sesame Albacore Tuna on Curried Rice Salad 

Two year's ago - Maple Ginger Pork Medallions

Rustic Blackberry Pie aka Galette

Something bad happened on the way to last night's stellar celebration of all that's wonderful about the Pacific Northwest. A favorite kitchen workhorse bit the dust. The one most dependable piece of kitchen equipment I've owned and treasured since 1981 finally gave in and croaked...my treasured Cuisinart; however, before the plastic workbowl crumbled it produced the pastry for last night's freeform sweet treat also known as a galette. My Cuisinart's last gasp was a darn good one!

Another fabulous Ina Garten pastry recipe, I took the liberty of adding some sugar to this one. Very easy to make and virtually fool proof (thank goodness because this fool hasn't had a lot of luck with pastry in the recent past) it's topped with couple of pints of plump juicy Marionberries tossed with a mere half cup of sugar, 2 heaping tablespoons of cornstarch and a pinch of salt. Piled into the middle of the pastry, the edges are simply folded in on the filling, and the rustic tart hit a hot oven for 45 minutes and came out looking like this! 

Now while most people would consider serving a slice topped with vanilla ice cream, as you may or may not know Big Guy's a purist when it comes to his pie. Coupled with the fact our freezer is bare of the frozen confection, we had our pie unadorned except for a wee dram of cognac on the side. Uh yum!

Rustic Blackberry Galette from JBug’s Kitchen Antics with pastry adapted from Ina Garten

Pastry:

3 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/4 pound cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

1/2 cup cold vegetable shortening

2/3 cup ice water (more or less as needed)

Place flour, salt, baking powder and sugar into bowl of food processor and pulse to combine. Add cold butter and vegetable shortening. Stir quickly with a fork to coat each piece with flour, then cover and pulse briefly until fats are incorporated and about the size of peas. With the motor running, drizzle in water until dough leaves the sides of the work bowl and just comes together. Place into a zip bag and knead to form a ball. Flatten ball, then refrigerate a minimum of 30 minutes.

Filling:

2 pints fresh blackberries (I used Marionberries)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

Dash salt

2 tablespoons cornstarch (heaping)

Mix together sugar, salt and cornstarch in a medium bowl. Toss in fresh blackberries and fold carefully to incorporate.

To assemble the pie, preheat oven to 425. On a floured board, roll pastry out to a large circle – approximately 16 inches in diameter. Fold pastry into quarters then even edges out by cutting into a relatively even disc. Place pastry on a large pizza pan and unfold allowing edges to drape over sides of pan. Place blackberry filling in a pike in center of pastry then fold edges in to roughly cover the filling, leaving the center exposed. Sprinkle tart lightly with a tablespoon of granulated sugar.

Place into preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes or until filling runs clear and pastry is browned. Remove to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm. 

A year ago - Red Cabbage Salad with Bacon and Goat Cheese 

Two year's ago - Stuffed Anaheim Peppers, Italian Style

Cherry Clafouti

The French lay claim to the name of this dessert, just as Oregon and its "Original Pancake House" claim the Dutch Baby Pancake known elsewhere as a German Pancake and even the British get in on the party with their savory rather than sweet Yorkshire Pudding.

Sounds like a regular United Nations doesn't it but I guess you can say they're all kind of alike, united by the same basic ingredients - eggs, milk and flour. Add sugar and a little booze along with dark sweet cherries and you've a dessert that'll make your tastebuds sing. The best part about it is that you can make one out of almost any kind of fruit or berry but then it'll be called a flaugnarde because "Clafouti" is reserved for cherries only. Don't ask why because I have absolutely no idea.

Last night's version included bourbon rather than the more traditional kirsch and I threw in an overflowing teaspoon of homemade vanilla too just because I like the flavor.  Incidentally, I used pitted cherries direct from my freezer, without thawing them first and it took longer for the oven to preheat than it did to throw the dessert together - perfect when you're craving something sweet but not overly sweet. 

Big Guy loved it even though he couldn't wrap his mouth around the name. He didn't know whether to call it a cake or a pie so he took care of that by doubling up his serving so he wouldn't have to go back to get a second piece. For a guy that is lukewarm on desserts, he can never resist the word "pie". 

Cherry Clafouti from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from Oregonian Cookbook

1-1/2 teaspoons softened butter

1 pound dark sweet cherries, pitted

1/2 cup granulated sugar

4 eggs

Pinch salt

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup milk

1/4 cup bourbon

1 teaspoon good vanilla

 

1-1/2 tablespoons hard butter

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Powdered sugar

 

Preheat oven to 400.  Using softened butter, grease bottom and sides of large gratin dish. Spread cherries in a single layer on the bottom of the dish. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, and salt. Gradually sift in flour whisking constantly until mixture is smooth. Whisk in milk, bourbon and vanilla. Pour over cherries in gratin dish. Grate or shave butter over top and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. (Note – if using frozen cherries, increase cooking time by approximately 10 minutes). Cool for 20 minutes then sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve warm.  Makes 8 servings unless you’re anywhere near JBug’s Kitchen. 

Two year's ago - Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Black Bean Salsa

Sweet Cherry Crisp

We hit the Newport farmer's market yesterday and scored big time with a 20 pound box of sweet cherries for an equally sweet sum. The motherlode it was until it took us the balance of the day to clean and pit the darn things but Big Guy and I had a lot of fun while we were doing it. We're such a great team in the kitchen - do I sound like I'm bragging again?

Anyway, there's a bunch of ruby orbs in the dehydrator right now, half of them were frozen on sheet pans then bagged waiting to go into pies, puddings, sauces, jams and more importantly, ice cream. The rest of them made up the sweet luscious filling for a ginormous cheery cherry crisp.

I confess I'd never made a fresh sweet cherry crisp before, but I think I faked it pretty well. My biggest concern was that the end result would be much too sweet so I limited the sugar in the filling and added a sprinkle of brandy to the fruit. A buttery oatmeal cinnamon flavored pecan studded sprinkle of yummy goodness on top and an hour in the oven and voila! Here you have it! 

Delicious with a topping of ice cream, whipped cream or even a drizzle of custard or cream, it's even great for breakfast. I should know cause I just had some! (Well, it's got oatmeal in it, doesn't it?)

Sweet Cherry Crisp an original from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from the Purity Cookbook

8 cups pitted sweet cherries

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 heaping tablespoon cornstarch

Dash of salt

2 tablespoons cognac

Topping:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup rolled oats

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup chopped pecans or almonds

Preheat oven to 375. Spray a 10 inch gratin pan or 9 x 12 inch glass casserole dish with cooking spray. In a large bowl mix together sugar, cornstarch and salt. Add cherries and toss to coat. Pour into prepared dish and sprinkle evenly with cognac.

In a medium bowl combine flour, oats, sugars, salt and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Add nuts and mix well. Pour over cherry mixture in pan. Place into pre-heated oven and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until cherries are cooked and bubbling and topping is nicely browned. Serve warm or at room temperature. Refrigerate any leftovers. Serves 8 to 10. 

A year ago - Arizonafied Chicken Chili 

Peach and Raspberry Pie

I've been picking raspberries from our garden for the past week or so and the little hummers just keep producing. I couldn't resist throwing a pie together yesterday afternoon just so I could brag to you.

Now, I fully understand my fellow Oregonians (I love saying that) will have a hard time getting overenthusiastic about something one finds here in such abundance but honestly I'm still amazed at all the berries never mind everything else in this man's country. As Big Guy says; "you'd have to be an idiot to starve on the Oregon coast." 

Just so you know, pies around here are kind of a crap shoot because I seldom make them the same way twice which means some of them are better than others; however, this one just happened to be absolutely perfect. Loaded with incredibly juicy peaches and fresh raspberries, it filled the air with the scintillating scent of summer, never mind that it is a visual feast of jewel toned beauty. 

Whip one up today and I swear your popularity will soar like the eagles. Mine did!

Peach and Raspberry Pie an original from JBug’s Kitchen Antics

Pastry for a deep double crust 9 inch pie

4 extra-large peaches, peeled and sliced

3 cups fresh raspberries

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup quick cooking tapioca

3 tablespoons cornstarch

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons butter

-----

1 egg yolk

1 tablespoon cold water

Preheat oven to 400. In a large bowl lightly toss together peaches, raspberries, sugar, tapioca, cornstarch, lemon juice and vanilla. Let sit for 15 minutes before continuing. 

Place pastry into a large deep pie pan, leaving a minimum of 1 inch overhang on the edges. Add filling and dot with butter. Brush edges of pastry lightly with water, then place pastry on top. Seal and flute edges and cut holes in top of pastry to allow steam to escape. Place pie on a rack over a large cookie sheet to catch drips and bake for 40 minutes. Beat together egg yolk and water and brush on top crust of pie. Return pie to the oven and continue baking for additional 30 to 40 minutes or until filling bubbles and juices overflow and run clear. Cool pie on a wire rack. Serve at room temperature. 

One Year ago - Happy In Oregon

(Kind of a reccurring theme, isn't it. Hard to believe that here we are now living permanently in the area we used to vacation. Lucky huh!)

Two year's ago - Friday Night at the Dawg 

Three year's ago - Mulligatawny Soup

Lazy Days of Summer

You're likely all thinking I've faded from the face of the earth but to tell the truth I just haven't been cooking much. That is all about to change because Big Guy's officially on his way to our new Oregon home and not a minute too soon I might add. Three and a half months without that man o' mine's about 3.5 months too long. 

It's a great time for him to be leaving the desert with highs today in Tucson forecast in the area of 115 and 125 in Parker, AZ but if all goes according to my deductions, as I write this he's already north of Parker and heading for Barstow. 

So what does one cook when it's hotter'n the hubs of hell? Well, bring out the fans, turn on the misting system and fire up the barby for one of our favorite treats - a bed of greens loaded with sweet onion and creamy mozzarella balls, topped with slices of perfectly cooked steak and piquant, garlicky chimi churri sauce. 

Oh, and while you've got that grill warmed up, how about roasting some veggies for a lovely pasta salad, loaded with roasted eggplant, peppers and jazzed up with shredded Asiago and and some crunchy pine nuts for a fabulously delicious, cool and meatless dinner. 

Are you craving something cool and sweet? Whip up an Orange Pushup Creamsicle Pie.
It's about as simple to make as you can get, loaded with cream cheese, instant pudding, orange gelatin and "Cool Whip", all piled high in a pre-made crumb crust, it can be frozen or simply refrigerated for a cool, refreshing oh so delicious treat for your tastebuds. 

So now that we have that out of the way, in case you're wondering what I'm planning to serve when Big Guy gets here tomorrow - that would be a stew of course; a nice comforting, stick to your ribs, soul warming, taste filled bowl of pure bliss. After all our forecast high of 73 is darn near 50 degrees cooler than what he'll be accustomed to. He's bound to be freezing, don't ya' think?

A year ago - Honeydew Salad with Chicken Paillards 

Two year's ago - Easy 5 Hour Stew

Oregon Strawberries Are Amazing

Most of you already know this but I'm Canadian and grew up in what I thought of as the far north, although to someone that really lives in the far north of Canada it is "central Ontario" or as North Bayites brag "the gateway to the North". Weather being what it is, strawberry season starts in late June and finishes mid July.

Thankfully, we don't have to wait that long for the sweet season to arrive here. According to the Oregon Strawberry Commission, "There are many reasons why Oregon strawberries are so sweet, red and juicy but one of the most important ones is our climate. Oregon has a long mild spring and early summer. We have lots of rain and often have cool nights and warm sunny days. These conditions are perfect for growing the sweetest strawberries. The berries stay on the vine and ripen slowly, allowing the sugars to increase before harvest."  

I'm here to tell you, I've never had a sweeter berry than the ones here and I'm not just sayin' that because I happen to live at heaven's gate. How do I know this, you ask?

I just tested about a quart of this flat and almost all of the rest is in the dehydrator as we speak so Big Guy will be able to enjoy them when he gets here at the end of the month. You wouldn't believe the aroma in here right now ...who the heck needs Chanel when you've got o' de JBug cologne?

Oh, I put a tray of the luscious red berries in the freezer too so I can bag 'em later when they're solid and whip up a Summer Pudding for that man o' mine or maybe a luscious Strawberry Mousse Cake, or how about a Strawberries & Cream Tart or even a frozen cheesecake with this incredible Strawberry Mint Sauce. 

 

Sweet and delicious Strawberries and Cream Tart

 

Easy Summer Pudding full of mixed berries

Rich and moist Strawberry Mousse Cake

   

Frozen Cheesecake with Strawberry Mint Sauce

MMM - now that I think of it I gotta' run. Better head down the hill and hit the Waldport market like I did a little while ago and pick up another flat of the beauties because I'm not quite sure I've got enough! What do you think?

A year ago - Cheater Chicken and Dumplings

Two year's ago - Mango and Spicy Shrimp Salad

 

Key Lime Pie In A Jar

OK, so here's the deal. I had leftover leftovers last night (Chicken Broccoli Cobbler) and ended up having a bowl of cereal the night before so I haven't blogged for a few days. This one might make up for it. Honest. 

As you've likely gathered, I never get sick of sweet things and since the Sticky Toffee Puddings were such a sweet success, I was inspired to try something else - something tart, kind'a sweet and definitely fresh tasting. Something with 6 ingredients or less - something loaded with citrusy tang - something good with a capital "G".  

Voila! Five jars, slightly sweetened buttery graham cracker crumbs, sweetened condensed milk, a bag of key limes plus a lime of the regular kind, an egg, 15 minutes in the oven and 3 hours in the refrigerator... that is it, that is all.

Darn near instant gratification and absolutely delicious. Perfectly portable picnic food as long as it's kept in a cooler, bang on delish for a barbecue bash, and almost guilt free portion control for one, that is until you count the one I just had for breakfast this morning. Hey, it's OK as long as you're not having 2 in one day, right?

Yah, I know. Cereal for dinner and pie for breakfast. This blog's kinda' going down hill, isn't it? 

Incidentally, if you're tempted to use concentrated lime juice for this, please don't. The flavor of the pie depends on the use of fresh juice. I found the key limes aka Mexican limes in a bag in the produce section of Fred Meyer's, and while they weren't as juicy as the beauties we used to grow in Arizona, the 1 pound bag along with 1 regular lime gave me the required amount of juice. As you can see, key limes (Mexican limes) are much smaller than the regular persian lime we're used to, and they're more tart too but you can substitute freshly squeezed regular limes for the little guys if you must. Your pie just won't have as much pucker power.

Key Lime Pie in a Jar from JBug’s Kitchen Antics

2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 – 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1 egg

2/3 cup fresh lime juice (preferably key limes)

1 large egg, beaten

Whipped cream & lime zest for garnish

Preheat oven to 325. Place 5 small canning jars on a rimmed pan and set aside. Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter and divide crumbs evenly between the 5 jars. Press crumbs evenly on the bottom of the jar but don’t pack them down.  In a small bowl, whisk egg until light. Add sweetened condensed milk and lime juice and whisk together until well combined. Divide evenly between the 5 jars. Bake in pre-heated oven for 12 to 15 minutes until set. Cool on a wire rack, then cover with lids and refrigerate for minimum 2 hours. Top with whipped cream and garnish with lime zest. Makes 5.  

 A year ago - Onion Pie and BBQ Meatloaf

Two year's ago - Pesto Topped Plank Grilled Salmon

Sticky Toffee Pudding in a Jar

We're well into our second day of dark and stormy weather and believe you me, I'm not complaining a bit. What it means is the sound of rain on the roof, high surf and an excuse to light a fire in the fireplace and cuddle up with the woofs and a good book. Of course that's assuming I can even get the fire started in the first place. After 3 tries yesterday I managed success only to have the sun come out at the exact moment; however, the sunshine didn't last and thankfully my fire did so all was well.

I also took the opportunity to do a little thinking outside the box and came up with the idea of making desserts that I love in individual servings, so I can enjoy 'em on my own time. Remember the little cheesecakes we served at our last big student bash? Yup, kinda' like that only different.

Course we've enjoyed individual sticky toffee puddings before but I happen to be out of the aluminum foil cups I'd used previously and for the sake of being green especially since Oregon's green in more ways than one, I figured I'd try making them in small jam jars.

Sprayed with cooking spray then filled half way with the extra moist date filled batter, the eight little beauties hit the oven for a mere 30 minutes. After a few minutes cooling time, I poked some holes in 'em with a chopstick then poured a few tablespoons of rich buttery toffee sauce on top and left them alone about as long as I could stand it.

As for serving, you've a couple of options so I tried them both - topped with a little more sauce, you can eat it right out of the jar or if you happen to be an ice cream/sauce freak like I am, run a knife around the inside of the jar and flip your puddin' out into a bowl. Add more sauce and a scoop of vanilla and I guarantee you'll be licking your lips.

As for me, I divided the rest of the sauce between the other 7 individual delights, put the lids on and shoved them into the freezer so whenever I can no longer ignore their siren song, I'll take the lid off one and pop the jar in the microwave for a minute so I can and enjoy it in all its warm and gooey spendor.  I'm already thinking about the b'zillion other possibilities in my future too, especially since Big Guy's not much of a dessert fan and it's my job to make up for his shortcomings, right?

Incidentally, don't fill the jar any more than half full because the puddings expand as they cook and you'll want to leave as much room at the top as you can for sauce. Just sayin'. 

Sticky Toffee Pudding (Adapted from David Lebovitz)

Sauce:

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

1-1/4 cups brown sugar

1 cup cream

1 teaspoon vanilla 

Melt butter in medium saucepan. Add brown sugar and stir well to combine. Add cream, bring to a boil stirring constantly, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Cool slightly. Stir in vanilla.

Pudding:

6 ounces pitted dates, chopped

1 cup water

1 teaspoon baking soda

1-1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter (1/4 cup)

¾ cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Spray an 8 eight ounce jam jars with cooking spray and place in a rimmed baking dish. 

Combine dates and water in a small saucepan. Heat to boiling, then remove from heat and stir in baking soda. Set aside to cool slightly.

Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.  

In a medium bowl with a mixer or by hand, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and beat well. Add eggs and beat well. Stir in half the flour, then all of the date mixture, followed by the rest of the flour. Stir just until combined. Do not overmix.

Fill prepared jars no more than half full and bake in 350 oven for 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs. Cool to lukewarm. Poke holes into puddings with a chopstick. Pour approximately 2 tablespoons of warm sauce over each pudding. Serve pudding topped with more warm sauce directly from the jar, or flip out into a bowl and serve with ice cream on the side. To store, top puddings with lids and refrigerate for a few days, or freeze for up to 6 months. To reheat from frozen, remove lid and place jar in microwave. Heat for 1 minute or until warmed through. 

Two year's ago - Haddock Tacos 

Three year's ago - Buffalo Chicken Balls

Entertaining? Go With What You Know!

When you're entertaining new friends and getting used to a totally different kitchen set-up, the best thing to do is to go with what you know. That's what we did last night.

Big Guy's spent the past few days unpacking his garage full of boxes and one of the first cartons he opened contained his trusty Weber charcoal grills (yup there's 2) and the accompanying rotisserie. A trip to Fred Meyer for some gorgeous fresh 5 pound chickens along with his special magic of combining fresh lemons and rosemary from our garden and the entree was under control.

Add a casserole of quick, fruit filled "cheater" stuffingwe've talked about before that makes great use of a loaf of frozen garlic bread along with cooked crumbled sausage, lovely crisp tart apples and a handfull of dried cranberries and you've the makin's of a special dinner. I changed the recipe up a bit by adding a little of the traditional sauteed onions and celery to the mix along with a little splash of white wine just because it seemed like a good idea along with some Jimmy Dean Sage sausage and a few extra cranberries. Hit the link above and it'll take you to the recipe. 

Small steamed veggies including little round white potatoes, perfect tiny carrots, a package of pearl onions and a few frozen peas all lined up pretty like in a casserole dish and covered in a smooth rich herb flavored bechamel sauce all helped fill the dinner plates quite nicely. After all, there's nothing quite like a little sauce on a plate is there?  Once again, we've had this little number before(HERE) but this time I used a smidge of dried Herbs de Provence instead of the fresh dill because I was too lazy to go down the hill to the store (silly me). The fresh dill is really the right way to go! 

A crisp green salad loaded with colorful sliced peppers, chopped onion and tomato wedges completed the menu - well almost.

Rhubarb's in season right now so I couldn't resist whipping up one of our favorite spring time pies - a combination of fresh strawberries and rhubarb along with a 12 ounce package of frozen raspberries makes for an amazing ruby colored taste of heavenly glory.  Next year I'll be making one (or several) from the strawberries and raspberries we've growing on our three quarters of an acre of heavenly coastal bliss; however, the rhubarb better grow in a hurry because try as I might, I couldn't find a plant anywhere on our property. That's gonna' change, for sure!

 

Rhuberry Pie

Pastry for 1 double crust pie

1 - 12 ounce pkg. frozen raspberries

1 cup strawberries, quartered

1-1/4 cup granulated sugar

3 Tablespoons quick cooking tapioca

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

Few grains of salt

Combine above ingredients well and let sit for a minimum of  10 minutes to allow tapioca to soften.

Add & stir gently to combine

2 cups sliced rhubarb

1 teaspoon vanilla

---

1 Tablespoon butter

Line 10 inch pie plate with pastry. Fill with rhuberry filling, dot with butter. Cover with top pastry and decorate as desired. Place in a preheated 450 oven for 8 to 10 minutes, lower heat to 350 and bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until filling runs clear and is bubbling over top crust.

Cool for minimum 4 hours before slicing. Serve at room temperature.

Note – be sure to place a jelly roll pan under pie plate to catch any drips. 

A year ago - Crispy Cod

Two year's ago - Pork 'n Apple Sausage Rolls

Three year's ago - Buffalo Salmon

 

Old Fashioned Blueberry Pie

Big Guy took me out for dinner last night after we went to get our taxes done. It's an annual tradition and serious proof that the stewin' is often worse than the doin'. 'Nuf said.

Consequently, yesterday was a "dark day" in JBug's Kitchen so here's the goods on some little blueberry pies I baked the other day. For some reason, fresh blueberries are hitting the market down here and I couldn't resist picking up a couple of pints during our Saturday morning shopping trip. I used one to whip up these little mini pies but if you're not lucky enough to own some mini pie pans like the ones Big Guy gave me for my birthday, you can always double the recipe and make one 9 inch pie instead. 

Simply a small amount of sugar because we kinda' like our pies semi-sweet, along with freshly grated lemon rind and a little juice, a touch of cinnamon and a little flour for thickening means these little beauties were in the oven in a New York minute. A little while later we were chowing down on the simply delicious, no fuss, glorious celebration of all that's beautiful about a blueberry. And that my friends, is the end of today's story.

Old Fashioned Blueberry Pie (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Purity Cookbook) 

4 mini pie pans (4 inches across)

Pastry for a single crust pie

1 pint blueberries

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon rind

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

2-1/2 tablespoons flour

Dash salt

Dash cinnamon

1-1/2 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 400. Line pie pans with pastry, reserving small circles for each top crust. Combine blueberries, sugar, lemon rind, juice, flour, salt and cinnamon in a small bowl. Divide between 4 pastry lined pans. Dot with butter and top with pastry circle. Place pans on a large sheet pan to prevent spills in the oven. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until pastry is browned and filling bubbling. Cool on a wire rack. Serve warm with or without ice cream.  

A year ago - Poblano Jalapeno Chili

Two year's ago - Crispy Snapper and Oven Fries

 

Cranberry Pear Pie

OK so I'm cheating. Big Guy's off in the desert for another few days hunting the elusive peccary (javalina). Consequently I had a rather uninspired but no less delicious ham sandwich for dinner last night. The pie you're looking at was the sweet treat of the week to welcome you know who home on Monday night.

A page from Martha's web site, the pie is simple enough to make. I used treasured cranberries I'd stashed in the freezer from the holidays and beautiful Oregon Royal Riviera pears from Harry and David, courtesy of our friends John and Shirien. The incredibly juicy perfectly ripe pears are gi-normous so it only took 3 to do the trick along with a 12 ounce pacakge of cranberries, a touch of brown sugar mixed with a few tablespoons of cornstarch, some of my homemade bourbon vanilla and chunks of butter sealed the deal. 

Looks good huh? Well believe me it tasted good too. Imagine sweet creamy buttery pears and tart cranberries - what could be better? I mean really!

There's only one problem and since I try to be honest to a fault, I'm here to confess. While it looks great, tasted fabulous and lasted for all of 24 hours, there wasn't enough cornstarch to counteract the juicyness of the pears and crans so it was very, very runny. No matter though. Big Guy called it a "cobbler" and we ate it anyway.

Hit Martha's site here for the recipe but remember if your pears are extremely juicy, adjust the cornstarch upward to 4 or 5 tablespoons and leave your pie in the oven for the full 90 minutes. I didn't, should'a so I'll have to make it again. Oh darn!

Incidentally, I didn't bother with the egg yolk/cream wash or the apricot preserves. I merely brushed the pastry with half and half cream and dusted it with granulated sugar. 

Individual Apple Charlottes

Oh my oh my, here's something better'n apple pie! Did you know there's a heck of a lot more things you can do with a couple of slices of white bread than make a simple stick to the roof of your mouth PBJ sandwich? Point in fact, it is the ingredient responsible for making this old fashioned dessert an absolute stellar company worthy success and we have Fine Cooking to thank for the recipe.

Bread dipped in butter on both sides and sugar on one lined the insides and bottom of some rather too large ramekins in our case. Packed with peeled and diced apples, sauteed in butter along with lemon rind, vanilla bean and raisins until the apples just began to soften, the puddings finished their metamorphasis in the oven.

The sugary outside coating caramelized and the bread became a crisp flakey pastry encapsulating a flavorful and moist filling. Awesome served warm with a scoop of ice cream, it is a dessert that absolutely, without question, deserves a place at your holiday table. 

What the heck, add a spoonful of mincemeat to the apples or dried cranberries with orange and you'll have a whole new thing. That's what I plan on doing Christmas Eve. Just sayin'. 

Individual Apple Charlottes (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Fine Cooking)

2 Granny Smith apples

4 Braeburn Apples

1 Golden Delicious

1 lemon, rinsed

1 vanilla bean

1/3 cup dark raisins

1/3 cup golden raisins

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons Apple Jack Brandy or Bourbon

Peel and core apples. Cut into quarter inch dice and place in a large bowl. Rinse lemon and remove strips of peel with a vegetable peeler, being careful to use only peel and not any white pith. Add to apples. Split vanilla bean in half and using a knife remove the seeds. Add seeds and pod to apples along with the raisins. Toss to mix well.

Heat butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat until melted. Add sugar and mix well. Toss in apple mixture and cook stirring constantly until apples give up their moisture and start to soften (about 5 to 8 minutes). Remove from heat, cool slightly and add brandy.

 1 loaf white bread (I used Wonder Bread)

3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

3/4 cup granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 475. Spray 4 – 10 ounce ramekins or 6 – 8 ounce ramekins with cooking spray and place ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet. Remove crusts from bread and cut rounds to fit the bottom of the ramekins. Cut rectangles from other slices to line the sides, with about a quarter inch overflow on the top of the ramekin. Dip both sides of each bread piece into butter and sugar one side only. Place sugared side down against ramekin (start with bottom first, then do sides).

To complete, remove vanilla pod and lemon zest from the apples. Fill ramekins with apple mixture, pressing down filling and mounding slightly on the top. Filling will cook down. Cover sheet pan snuggly with a sheet of foil. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool slightly.

To serve, run a knife around the outside of the charlotte and invert onto a plate. Serve with ice cream. 

Two year's ago - Apple Walnut Salad with Port Vinaigrette and Caramelized Pork