Saturday Afternoon Quickie - Vanilla Ice Cream

Summertime quickies are the best! ;)

It's summer....it's HOT....let's cool off ~

This recipe needs no introduction - spend the time to pull this together, and I promise you'll be grinning ear-to-ear :)  Remember, this ice cream recipe is only a launching pad - you can morph the hell out of it by adding jam, nuts, broken cookies, peanut butter, chopped up chocolate - and instantly amaze everyone! Enjoy!

Sandy's Vanilla Ice Cream makes approx. 2 qts.

5 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups milk, 2%
1 whole vanilla bean, split and scraped
1 cup white sugar
1 TBL. pure vanilla extract
1 pinch Kosher salt

In your KitchenAid mixer or a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks and 1/4 cup of sugar until the mixture reaches the ribbon stage (glossy and smooth).

In a 2 qt. sauce pan, gently heat the milk, cream, 1 cup of sugar, vanilla bean and its contents, and salt.  Whisk constantly until mixture reaches 185° degrees.  Take off heat and discard the vanilla bean.

 VERY SLOWLY, temper the egg mixture with the hot cream - don't be tempted to complete this step too rapidly, or you'll end up with scrambled eggs.

Now, pour all of the ice cream base back into the sauce pan.  Under low-medium heat, bring the base to 175° degrees, whisking constantly.

Place sauce pan in an ice bath and bring base to room temperature.  Seal in a plastic food container, and refrigerate for at least 12 hours - however, overnight is best.
Now, it's time for your ice cream maker to do it's magic!  Follow the instructions to your maker.  The end result will be a very soft ice cream that then needs to be frozen as soon as possible!
After a couple of hours, there you have it...yummy homemade vanilla ice cream!! ;-)

Thanks for the QUICKIE (wink!), I'll see ya next week!

Saturday Afternoon Quickie - Dreamy Lemon Pound Cake

Summertime quickies are the best! ;)

It's summer....it's HOT....let's make dessert ~
My Oma adored pound cake.  In her fridge, come hell or high water, you'd find a bakery fresh, chilled pound cake ready for the daily Kaffee und Kuchen.
To this day, I can't make it through a month without sinking my teeth into a piece of pound cake - whether I purchase it or make it (WAY BETTER), it just has to happen.
The recipe I'm sharing with you today is fool-proof...delicious...and addictive. :)  Enjoy!

Dreamy Lemon Pound Cake *inspired by Allrecipes* serves 10-15
2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, softened
3 cups sugar
6 eggs
5 TBL. FRESH lemon juice
1 TBL. grated lemon peel
1 tsp. pure lemon extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. Kosher salt
1 1/4 cups sour cream

In your KitchenAid mixer or a large bowl, cream the sugar and butter until light and fluffy.
Then, add your eggs one at a time.
Next, add the lemon juice, grated lemon peel, and lemon extract.  Combine well.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.  Now add it to the creamed mixture alternately with the sour cream.  Mix until just combined - don"t over do it!
Pour into a greased and floured (hello, I used Baker's Joy and it worked perfectly!) fluted tube pan.
Bake at 350° degrees F for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean.
Let cool for about 10-15 minutes, then remove to a plate lined with wax paper.
Let cake cool completely before serving - and personally, I think pound cake tastes better the next day. ;-)

Thanks for the QUICKIE (wink!), I'll see ya next week!

Candied Orange Peel

So, I'm usually WAY too busy to attempt the Martha Stewart-ish kind of holiday razzle-dazzle this time of year. However, there was no way I was going to allow another Christmas to pass without tucking a new skill or recipe under my belt. And THIS was my year...
Well, I humbly stuck my toe into the kiddie pool of: CANDIED FRUITS - those glistening, succulent, sugar coated fruit gems we pay $$ for at the local designer Farmer's Market.
My husband requested a fruit cake, (not one of my favorites) so I decided it was the perfect opportunity to experiment with at least one personal contribution - Candied Orange Peel.
I've never attempted this before, so I went to a trusted source, Epicurious. Boy, I'm glad I did. :)
Yes, I tweaked it...you know me ~

Simple Candied Orange Peel makes approx. 4-5 ounces
3 large oranges, 1/4 inch of the top and bottom cut off
*(original recipe called for only 2 oranges, but 3 worked perfectly!)*
4 cups white sugar, divided
2 cups water
1 cup of Grand Marnier Liqueur
*(original recipe calls for only 3 cups of water)*

Slice 1/4 inch off the the tops and bottoms of each orange.



Score peel on each orange into 4 vertical segments. Remove each segment (INCLUDING the white pith) in 1 complete piece.



Cut segments into 1/4-inch wide strips.



Cook in large pot of boiling water for 15 minutes; drain, rinse and drain again.



In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the sugar, water and Grand Marnier to a boil. Stir to dissolve sugar.



Add peel, and return to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer until peel is very soft, about 45 minutes. Drain.
Toss peel in 1 cup of sugar on a rimmed baking sheet, separating strips.



Lift peel from sugar and transfer to a sheet of foil. Let stand until coating is dry, 1-2 days. *TWEAK ALERT* (to speed things up, I used a fruit dehydrator for 1 1/2 hours. It worked perfectly!)



You'll notice that nowhere in this recipe does it mention the need to remove the "pith" of the orange. At first I was skeptical, understandably, but trust me - it isn't absolutely necessary. Yes, on the first day the peels will have a slightly bitter bite - but on day two it's virtually gone.

So after the fruit cake is made...I will take the left over candied peels and dip them half way into dark chocolate. THEN...remember the leftover Grand Marnier/Orange simple syrup I simmered the peels in for 45 minutes? It's coming with me to a Holiday Party tomorrow night, as it will help to make the perfect margarita! (wink!)

Have a beautiful Christmas and Holiday Season...I look forward to sharing with you in 2011!!

Oh, and thanks for the QUICKIE (wink!), I'll see ya next week!

Saturday Afternoon QUICKIE - Fresh Apple Pie

Weekly Reminder: What is a "QUICKIE" anyway?...hmmmmm, found this online: "Very little foreplay, quick finish. Usually 5 minutes, start to finish.." Perfect! Since I've demonstrated how blog challenged I am this year, a speedy, once a week drop-in is JUST what the doctor ordered (wink!).
So clear your calendar, I'm all yours for 5 minutes every Saturday afternoon...rawr

Let's make a pie - YUM!...

Well, years ago I was searching for a decent apple pie recipe..and stumbled upon the baker's discussion forum for the Pillsbury Bake-Off® Contest winners. Ummm..somehow I gained access to the forum (shrugging my shoulders, hands up)...and the recipes they were sharing with each other. Can I ask you, what's a young wife to do...who’s trying to impress her new husband? Take a freakin' peek, of course. Let's just say someone must have caught on to the "security breach", and the next day any further access was denied. That's fine, my brief visit was worth it. Hmmm, let's just say that one of the recipes I "accidently" skimmed over, plus some personal tweaking, inspired my apple pie recipe.
So, if I'm not hauled off to jail for this admission (hello, not my fault you webmasters!)...maybe you'll see more “inspired” pies and cakes here in the future - (wink!)

Fresh Apple Pie
Pie Crust:
2 cups flour
2 TBL. white sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup shortening
1/3 cup very cold unsalted butter, cubed
2 tsp. cider vinegar
1 TBL. canola oil
5 TBL. heavy whipping cream
1 egg, beaten with 1 tsp. water
sugar for sprinkling

Apple Filling:
6 cups (approx. 7-8 apples) organic Granny Smith apples, pared, cored, and thinly sliced
3/4 - 1 cup of white sugar (depends on how tart apples are)
4 TBL. cornstarch
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 tsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 TBL. butter, cubed

In a small bowl mix the first four (4) ingredients (dry stuff). Dump into the food processor. Add the shortening and cubed butter and pulse until you see very small chucks.
In another small bowl mix together the vinegar, oil and heavy cream. Slowly add this mixture while the processor is on low speed. When the crust dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, stop the processor. You can add a TBL of water or more if the dough seems dry...just don't go overboard!
Form the dough into two disks, place between waxed paper..and refrigerate for one hour.
Flour your board and roll out one disk into a 10" round. Place it into a 9" pie plate. Prink the bottom 4-5times with a fork.

Now for the filling..
In a large bowl, mix together the first seven (7) ingredients for the filling. Place filling in the pie plate. Dot with remaining butter. Roll out remaining dough disk and place on top of the filling. Trim excess and seal the edges of the pie. Make four slits in the top crust. Brush some of the egg mixture on the top and sprinkle with sugar.



Bake in the center of the rack in a 400° preheated oven for twenty (20) minutes. Now reduce to 375° and bake for another forty (40) minutes or until the juices are bubbling inside and the crust is golden brown. Cover the edges with foil if necessary to prevent burning.
And POOF...you got yourself a pie!



Thanks for the QUICKIE (wink!), I'll see ya next week!

Saturday Afternoon QUICKIE - Marmorkuchen

I missed last week...got some drama going on...you know how that goes, right? (wink!)

Weekly Reminder: What is a "QUICKIE" anyway?...hmmmmm, found this online: "Very little foreplay, quick finish. Usually 5 minutes, start to finish.." Perfect! Since I've demonstrated how blog challenged I am this year, a speedy, once a week drop-in is JUST what the doctor ordered (wink!).
So clear your calendar, I'm all yours for 5 minutes every Saturday afternoon...rawr

Let's make a Marble Cake - YUM!...



Orangen-Marmorkuchen (German Marble Cake) serves 10-12
2 sticks + 2 TBL. salted butter (yes, salted, relax!)
1 3/4 cups of white sugar
4 eggs, separate
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups of flour, sifted
2 tsp. baking powder (add 1/4 tsp. if you are at a "Sea Level" elevation)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup water

Cocoa Marble:
3 TBL. cocoa powder
3 TBL. rum (in the pic, I used the standard Bacardi...Try Bacardi Select for a deeper flavor!)
1/4 milk (has to have SOME fat - 2%, whole, etc..)
1/2 tsp. pure orange extract oil



Sift together the flour and baking powder, set aside.
Using your KitchenAid mixer (or large bowl), cream the butter, egg YOLKS and 1 cup of sugar.
In a separate bowl, using a hand mixer, whip egg WHITES and remaining 3/4 cup of sugar until soft peaks are formed.
Fold the egg whites mixture into the butter yolk mixture, combining well.
Now, add vanilla extract, milk, water and the sifted flour mixture. Combine well, but don't over beat.

Now for the marble -
In a separate smaller bowl, remove 1/3 - 1/2 of the batter. Whisk in cocoa powder, rum, milk, and orange extract until perfectly combined..make SURE there are no lumps!
Spray your Gugelhopf mold (in other words, a bundt cake pan) with Pam for Baking.

Now let's layer...
Pour 1/2 of the vanilla batter into the mold. Next, pour all of the chocolate rum batter. Finish off by pouring the remaining vanilla batter on top.
Run a fork or butter knife from the bottom, up toward the top of the batter, with a delicate dragging motion - this is creating your marble.

Finally, using a spatula, gently smooth over the top of the batter to create an even surface.
Bake at 350° degrees for about 45-55 mins. This is the tricky part..I live at a higher elevation (4,367 feet approx.) so stuff takes longer to bake. For all of you, "at Sea Level," peeps..start running a cake tester through your creation starting as early 35-40 minutes.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar on top..and get yourself a fantastic cup of coffee (Brazilian Santos Grade A is stellar!)!

Just a quick note: this kuchen is sweet, but NOT super sweet. If you NEED more sugar..feel free to bump up the sugar 1/4 of a cup...

Thanks for the QUICKIE (wink!), I'll see ya next week (hopefully)!

Bad For You EASY PEACH COBBLER

Well...this week I joined this new blog, Operation Skinny Bitch - they have a Wednesday roll call. I think many dieters would agree that Sunday is the last day to scarf what you love before starting a new diet ~
Today, I chose my homemade Peach Cobbler. Super fattening - super sloppy - super rich...and damn good with a great cup of coffee! :) And yes, this is a Southern recipe - obtained while I lived in Doraville, GA. - back in my single days of big hair and lined lips.
I also used this culinary opportunity to school my boys on the art of cooking (reading the recipe, dry and wet ingredient measuring, etc...). It's never too young to start, and I'll be damned if those boys leave this house without knowing how to fix their future wives breakfast! LOL! Enough already...here we go....

Easy Peach Cobbler serves 8-10
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. salt
4 cups fresh or canned peaches (2 29 oz. lite peaches, drained)
1 cup flour
1 TBL. baking powder
1 cup whole milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 TBL. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt butter in 13x9 baking dish by placing in the oven while it preheats.
In a bowl combine flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder and ½ tsp. salt. Add milk and vanilla extract by stirring until all the dry ingredients are moistened and the batter is smooth.
Remove the baking dish from the oven and pour batter over the melted butter. DO NOT STIR!

In a sauce pan, bring peaches, 1 cup sugar, ½ tsp. salt and lemon juice to a boil. Gently boil for 2 minutes. Stirring constantly, pour over batter. Again, DO NOT STIR!
Sprinkle cinnamon evenly over the top.
Bake at 375degrees for 40-45 mins. or until golden. (**higher elevations (3400 ft. +) might need to bake for an extra 8-10 mins.**)

Make sure it sits on the counter for at least 30 mins. to an hour before eating - longer the better, it must set up. Trust me....
Don't forget the CoolWhip or freshly whipped cream! Oh yeah!!

**don't be afraid to reduce the sugar in the peaches if using canned fruit!** it won't hurt my feelings! HA

Thanksgiving Recipes

I want to share a couple of family's favorite recipes...my way of sending a big hug to everyone!
There's nothing like a great apple pie and some homemade cranberry sauce to say a warm , "Welcome home!"
I hope you will enjoy these dishes as much as my family does.....

With so many apple pie recipes out there, I have to say this one is definitely my favorite! This apple pie won't disappoint...

Orchard Fresh Apple Pie Serves 8
Pie Crust:
2 cups flour
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup shortening
1/3 cup very cold unsalted butter, cubed
2 teaspoon cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon canola oil
5 Tablespoons heavy cream
1 egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon water
Sugar for sprinkling

Filling:
6 cups cooking apples, pared, cored, thinly sliced
1 cup sugar
4 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Freshly ground nutmeg to taste
1 1/2 Tablespoons butter, cubed

First, the crust:
Mix together in a large bowl all dry ingredients for crust. Cut in shortening and butter until mixture is well blended, but still has very small chunks of butter. Mix together in a small bowl, the vinegar, oil and cream. Slowly add this to the flour mixture and stir together well. Pour this onto counter and further blend together with palms of your hands. Then form dough into two disks. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour. Roll out one disk into a 10" round. Place in a 9" pie plate.
Now, the rest:
Mix together in a large bowl the first 5 ingredients for the filling. Place filling in pie plate. Dot with butter. Roll out remaining disk to a 10-inch round and cover filling. Trim excess and seal edges of pie. Make slits in top of crust or cut a 1-inch round in center for ventilation. Brush some of the egg mixture on top crust and sprinkle with sugar. Bake on center rack in a 400 degrees preheated oven for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake for another 40 minutes or until juices are bubbling inside and pie crust is golden brown. Cover edges with foil if necessary, to prevent burning.
Sooooo Good!!

Next...my cranberry sauce, which by-the-way is great any time of the year! We've enjoyed it on chicken and pork dishes throughout the year.....

Killer Cranberry Sauce
1 cup sugar
1 navel orange
1 tsp. freshly grated ginger
1/4 cup golden raisins
3 cups fresh cranberries - basically 1 bag
1 TBL. chopped pecans
Splenda or sugar to top off sweetness
a small dash of cinnamon and nutmeg

Grate your orange and add the zest to the sauce pan. Now add the juice from this orange to the pan as well. Grate enough fresh ginger to make roughly a teaspoon and add it to the pan.
Now, add your sugar and begin simmering over medium heat until the sugar dissolves.
Yes..you can add a tad more orange juice if the mixture looks extremely dry.
Now add your cranberries and cook only until they begin to pop! If you cook them too long, your cranberry sauce will be too seedy. Set aside and allow to cool before returning to the refridgerator. This sauce tastes best when it's made the night before your planned dinner.
ENJOY!!