Tamale Pie

As long as I can remember I have heard that my Dad's favorite dish was tamale pie. I have never had it before and had no idea what it was - although visions of very yummy tamales did come to mind for obvious reasons. When he was out visiting us I set my mind to making tamale pie. I thought it was going to be hard but rather it was a casserole! HA! How easy is that?!?!? So I called my mom got the recipe and mixed this bad boy up. Just by reading the recipe you can tell it is an old recipe created in the casserole hay days of yester year. I was surprised it was so healthy, easy and that my entire family enjoyed it. I think we will eat this on my dad's birthday every year to honor him. Corny I know but it will make me happy to do so. :) When I served it to my dad he said he thought it was an Asian dish. It made me laugh but I didn't correct him - its not really Mexican either. Lets face it, its American.

1 onion chopped
1 green pepper chopped
1 garlic clove minced
1 lb. ground turkey or if you must ground beef
2 cups milk
2 small cans or one large can tomato sauce
1 can corn (15 oz)
1 cup corn meal
1 little can diced olives
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder

1.) In a large frying pan saute the onion and pepper until softened then add the garlic and heat until fragrant then add the ground turkey (Sprinkle the turkey with a little salt if you are salt feigned like me). Saute until the meat is cooked through.

2.) Then mix in the other ingredients. Stir well. Pour it into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Then remove the foil and bake for another 30 minutes.

* I added two large cans of tomato sauce so ours was very soft. I really liked it though.

On Break

I am on a food break. My tummy is really messed up lately. Everyday I have stomach aches and some of my favorite foods are the triggers so I am having to really watch what I eat. Bummer. Plus to be honest I am cooked/baked out. This time of year I care very little about cooking...I just want to be outside and when I do eat its generally something I just whip up. A fast fresh soup, salad, a sandwich, an orange, whatever is fresh and fast. So here is to a baking and food break.

Emily's Vegan Food

Stewart's Cousin stayed with us on his journey out to California. He is vegan and I wanted to cook something that would be fitting for his diet. So I made some dishes that were not crazy or weird though still vegan...well I did try some vegan muffins which were weird and not my favorite but other then that I made normal dishes that are naturally vegan.

Now you must realize now how I cook - its very different from how I bake - I don't usually follow a recipe, never ever exactly. I add a little of this and a little of that and taste as I go until I am happy with it. So I am writing a recipe but know I am really just guessing here. I might have really used 1 TB oil - I really have no idea I just poured until it looked "right". So take this more as a recommendation and then make it your own. For me that is what cooking is all about.

Mexican Noodle Soup

2 TB olive oil
1 med onion chopped
3 garlic cloves minced
4 medium tomatoes diced small
4 TB fresh cilantro
dash of dried basil
1/2 to 1 cup small noddles like Mexican style broken vermicelli or orzo
5 cups vegetable stock - if you want you can use chicken stock
salt and pepper

heat olive oil in a large soup pot. Add chopped onion and cook until tender. Push onion to the side of pot and add the noodles. Saute until they start to get a nice golden brown color. Then add the garlic and cook just until fragrant. add the diced tomatoes, cilantro, and basil. Stir and let cook a little while. Then add the broth and salt and pepper to taste. Let cook until the noodles are tender but still firm and serve with fresh grated Parmesan cheese (if not being served to a vegan), diced avocado, lime wedges, warm tortillas, and chopped cilantro.

Lentil Curry

1 large onion chopped
2 large garlic cloves minced
1 TB olive oil
1 large red pepper chopped
1 large carrot chopped
2 cups mushrooms minced
1/2 TB salt
pepper
red curry powder to taste
yellow curry powder to taste
cumin
citric acid to taste (a little goes a long way, if you don't have this used lime or lemon juice in its place)
1 - 1 1/2 cup lentils
5 to 7 cups vegetable broth
1/3 to 1/2 cup coconut milk

heat oil, add onion and cook for a couple minutes. Add garlic, red pepper, and carrots and cook for a couple minutes then add minced mushrooms and seasonings. Stir in rinsed lentils and coconut milk and broth. taste soup to adjust he seasoning. let simmer until the lentils are soft. I served with rice and I put cheese on the kids because it was "too spicy!" :) but I liked it best by itself.

ATK's Tandoori Chicken

American Test Kitchen has done it again! They have blessed me with one of the best recipes I have ever come across - Tandoori Chicken. I have always wanted to make it but just never got around to it, but finally I did. Like most always I turned to ATK to get a trusted recipe. It is LOVE poeple. My tate buds were in HEAVEN!!! I fell in love with Tandoori chicken even though this recipe is not the most authentic - it is not made in a tandoor which is a small kiln for baking things at super high temps. Many people's version are very spicy and add food coloring to give its trade mark orange color. But when food coloring is not necessary I skip out on it and this recipe feels the same. This dish is homey and yet exotic. The tenderness of the chicken is amazing as is the flavor thanks to the great cooking method- low temp bake followed by super hot broil. When I served this I knew it was something great. I kept wishing I had my foodie family around to marvel with me. But I was excited that Bridger kept saying, "Mommy this is the best chicken ever ever! This is my favorite!" That is pretty awesome too. So I might have hyped it too much so you'll make it and then be like, "whatever its not that good!" ...So here is the deal. Call me up and say "hey, make me some tandoori." and I will say "come right now and we'll do it!" and then I will serve you the yummiest Indian food you have ever tasted and kiss me on the cheek because you just cant help yourself. Ok? I mean it. This is something I would make for anyone just to share the love of it all and lets be honest so, then I'd get to eat it again too.

One ting I must tell you now. I did the recipe wrong. I left the skin on. I missed the whole remove the skin part when it listed the ingredients. Luckily I was intuitive enough to adapt a little here and there as I went - I added more salt, and I cooked it longer on both cooking settings. My chicken was fabulous despite my inability to read the recipe perfectly. So know you have two recipes to try! You can do it my way or follow their directions. I will make notes throughout so you can adapt it too if you want.

2 TB veg oil
6 med garlic gloves, minced or pressed
2 TB grated fresh ginger
1 TB garam masala (see note)
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp chili powder
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt (I used Greek)
4 TB lime juice- divided
2 tsp table salt (I used more because I love my salt - probably 1/2 tsp more)
3 pounds bone-in-skin-on chicken parts breast, thigh or drumsticks. Remove the skin and excess fat. (I did thighs and drumsticks with skin).

1.) Heat oil in small skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add garlic and ginger and cook just until fragrant bout 1 minute. Add garam masala, cumin, and chili powder, continue to cook until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds longer. Transfer half of garlic spice mixture to medium bowl and stir in the yogurt and 2 TB lime juice ans set aside. ( I added 1/4 tsp salt to the yogurt)

2.) In a large bowl combine remaining garlic spice mixture, 2 TB lime juice, and salt. using a sharp knife, lightly score skinned side of each piece of chicken, making 2 or 3 shallow cuts about 1 in. apart and about 1/8 inch deep; transfer chicken to large bowl with spices and rub the slat spice mixture evenly on all pieces of chicken. Let sit at room temp for 30 minutes. (ok, I lifted the skin off the meat rubbed the spices under the skin and then put skin back over chicken and rubbed the outside of the chicken with the spice mixture, and I added more salt to my mixture as well. Then I let my chicken sit for four hours in the refrigerator. )

3.) Adjust oven rack to upper middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Pour yogurt mixture over chicken and toss until chicken pieces are coated with thick layer. Arrange chicken pieces, scored side down on wire rack set in foil lined cookie sheet. Discard excess yogurt mixture. Bake chicken until instant -read thermometer inserted into thickest part reads 125 degrees for breast and 130 for legs and thighs, 15 to 25 minutes (mine took longer). Smaller pieces take longer so transfer then to a plate while the other pieces bake to their needed temperature.

4.) After removing the chicken from the oven turn oven to broil and heat 10 minutes. Once broiler is heated flip chicken pieces over and broil until chicken is lightly charred in spots and the instant-read thermometer registers 165 for breasts and 175 for legs and thighs, 8 to 15 minutes ( mine took longer). Remove from oven and light cover chicken with foil and let it rest for five minuets . serve with Basmati Rice - pilaf style or any Indian relish. Be simple like me and serve it with perfectly cooked Basmati rice toss with slated butter. yum!

note: If you cant find garam masala substitute with 2 tsp ground coriander, 1/4 tsp ground cardamom, 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp ground black pepper. ( I didn't have cardamom - thought I did, darn it. I added two small dashes of cayenne pepper though)

Fun Frosting

This frosting is really fun - its uses flour! It is smooth, creamy, buttery, and not overly sweet. It's taste is a mix between butter cream frosting and whipped cream. For me that is a really good thing. We made "spring cupcakes" and I used this recipe for the frosting. It was so fun to try because the recipe sounds rather odd so its such a delight that it actually works out into something so yummy. I love experimenting. Oh, and it is super easy too! Just don't over whip it and you will be golden.

* I think if you cooked the flour for a rather long time- stirring constantly mind you, then you might achieve a butterscotch taste of sorts. I think when I make it again I will add a little of the butter to the flour mixture as I am cooking it to achieve a richer taste and see what happens.

Because I am lazy and didn't want to make a bunch more cupcakes I used up the rest of the batter for a small cake or a "giant cupcake" as my kids called it.

Then the kids decorated them with LOTS of sprinkles. They loved it.

Here is the interesting recipe. Who knew flour could make something similar to whipped cream!

Ingredients

1 cup milk
5 TB Flour
1 tsp Vanilla
1 cup Salted Butter
1 cup Granulated Sugar (not powdered)

Directions

In a small saucepan, whisk flour into milk and heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens. Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature. (If in a hurry, place the saucepan over ice in the sink for about 10 minutes or so until the mixture cools.) Stir in vanilla.

While the mixture is cooling, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Then add the COMPLETELY cooled milk/flour/vanilla mixture and beat until it all combines and resembles whipped cream.

Grab a spoon and taste this wonderful goodness. If there is any left after your taste test, spread it on a cooled chocolate cake.

Thank you Pioneer Women

Pioneer Lady Cocholate Sheet Cake

She is always talking about this chocolate cake and how good it is. I found a recipe of hers I was really wanting to try and she recommended it with the chocolate cake so I made her chocolate cake. Here are my thoughts: It is a good cake that is surprisingly simple. The taste is not very sophisticated but it is soft and airy but still has a richness from all the butter in it. I wish I got to try her chocolate frosting she usually pairs with the cake but I had to try the other one even more. Here is a good, easy, cake both adults and children will enjoy. Here is her Picture tutorial.

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE CAKE:
2 cups flour
2 cups Sugar
1/4 TB (heaping) cocoa
2 sticks Butter
1 cup Boiling Water
1/2 cup Butter Milk
2 Beaten Eggs
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Vanilla

FOR THE FROSTING
1/2 cup Finely Chopped Pecans
1 3/4 stick Butter
4 TB (heaping) Cocoa
6 TB Milk
1 tsp Vanilla

INSTRUCTIONS

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt.

In a saucepan, melt butter. Add cocoa. Stir together.
Add boiling water, allow mixture to boil for 30 seconds, then turn off heat. Pour over flour mixture, and stir lightly to cool.

In a measuring cup, pour the buttermilk and add beaten eggs, baking soda, and vanilla. Stir buttermilk mixture into butter/chocolate mixture. Pour into sheet cake pan and bake at 350-degrees for 20 minutes.

While cake is baking, make the icing. Chop pecans finely. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add cocoa, stir to combine, then turn off heat. Add the milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Stir together. Add the pecans, stir together, and pour over warm cake.

Cut into squares, and eat.

"You are a talented bread maker."

So there is a story to this one. Yesterday I made a meal of love for the hubby. Slow cooked BBQ pork and made homemade rolls - Lion House Rolls. I followed it all up with cupcakes and frosting. The day sort of died though. He got a call he had to take right as we sat down for dinner and then a family he helps out called and needed his help so he entirely missed desert. I was sad. I made this meal for him and he was not there to indulge in it as well as tell me how wonderful I am and how yummy it all is. Finally when I had a moment with him I expressed my disappointment.

"People 4 and under don't sit down and say, 'Wow, those are the pretties rolls I have ever seen. These are better then Costco's. You are a talented bread maker.' They just don't and I really needed to hear that."

Stewart then placed his hands on my shoulders and looked me in the eyes and told me that my rolls were very beautiful, that they were light and fluffy, and yummy. That they were the best he had ever had. He said, "Emily, you are a talented bread maker."

I said "ok" and set to work to tidy the kitchen. Then the kids came running into the kitchen, "Mommy, Mommy! Your rolls are so BudaFUll! BudaFUllll! Mommy you are a talented roll maker!"

I couldn't help but laugh. I asked them if Daddy told them to say that and they said "YESSSS!" My husband responded, "See, four year olds do say that." and gave me a sweet kiss and grabbed himself another roll. Bless his heart. I needed to hear that. :)

I tried to capture this but I am not sure if I did...these are pillows! Very soft!

So these are my "BudaFUlll" rolls that I have been making for years. They are good soft rolls. Over the years I have added more and more sugar and played with it: adding more salt, fresh milk, using less yeast...blah blah. So do as you wish with them BUT remember, add as little flour as you can and don't mix much at all! The less kneading and mixing and the less flour the more pillowy they will be! They have never failed me. They are worth the effort.

Famous Lion House Dinner Rolls

2 cups warm water (110 to 115 degrees)
2/3 cup nonfat dry milk instant or non-instant
2 TB dry yeast (I used two fast rise yeast packets this time and they did fine - in the past they have been a little strong on the yeast taste so I liked that I couldn't taste the yeast so much this time)
1/3 cup sugar (I used 1/3 this time...next time I will do 1/2 if I want them sweeter)
2 tsp salt (my tsp were generous)
1/3 cup butter ( I melted mine)
1 egg
4 1/2 to 5 1/2 cups flour (or whatever smallest amount you use to get your dough to a point of manageability)

1.) In a large bowl of a standing mixer combine water and milk powder. Mix until milk dissolves. Add yeast, sugar, salt, butter, egg, and two cup flour mixing as you add each ingredient. Mix on low speed until all ingredients are wet and then mix on medium speed for two minutes.

2.) With mixer on low add flour half a cup at a time. Dough should be soft , not overly sticky but not dry at all! It is not necessary to add all the flour.

3.) Scrap dough off of the sides of the bowl and pour about one TB of vegetable oil all around the sides of the bowl. Turn dough over in bowl so it is covered with oil. Cover with plastic and allow to rise in a warm place until double in size.

*to speed up rising I fill sink with about 2 inches of hot water (or enough to come up 2/3 height of bowl and then I place the bowl with my dough in it and then let it rise.

4.) When dough has doubled sprinkle flour on clean counter and plop your dough out onto it. Don't knead it. Roll the dough out into a 18" by 8" rectangle. Cut it in half length wise and then cut two inch strips on both halves. Roll the dough up in little pinwheels and place them 2" apart on a greased cookie sheet. Place them so they are resting on their lose edge so they stay rolled up.

5.) Cover the rolls with plastic and let them double in size (1 to 1 1/2 hours). Bake at 375 for 10 - 20 minutes or until browned. Brush with melted butter while hot. Make 1 to 1 1/2 dozen rolls.

Kumquats

I used to go on a lot of walks when I was a kid. A lot. Almost everyday I would hike in the hills or trek up to the different surrounding parks. One house I would often pass had a kumquat tree. In its season it would be FULL and no one ever seemed to be eating them so I would load up my pockets and eat them as I hiked and walked. I LOVED them but I have not had them since we had to moved to the hood. :(

They are so interesting. A bitter sweet peel and then a super tart center. I would roll them between my fingers to release the oils and make the peel easy to pull off. After I had eaten and peeled off the peeling I'd gear up to bite into the tart fruit inside. I have a special place in my heart for fun tart foods and kumquats are both. Someday try one to be adventurous. I found some at the store the other day and they have been my special little treat since. They take me back to my childhood hiking in the hills and exploring nature. Heaven.

I have to remember this one!

Go here to try to make yourslef the "best frosting ever". It sounds so interesting. There are so many frosting types. I want to try them all. I think I will have to host a girls night of trying frostings. Oh that would be so fun for me!

- a traditional butter cream made with egg whites
- America's test kitchen's favorites; ex. foul proof silky easy chocolate frosting
- this odd little beauty
- and a fresh strawberry one that I had once and must try to capture again

thinking about it might have to be a ward party. :)

Coconut Cream Cake

Can you tell I am on a healthy kick lately? So healthy over at the Rasmussen's house! ;) I made this one up. I liked it, it was fun. I am not sure I will make it again, not because it wasn't good. Its just that I only can have coconut in moderation and to be honest I really l like trying new things and would probably go for a different recipe over this one just for the adventure of trying something new. If I do it again I think I would have fun with it and change things around to see if I like it better the other way. I would serve it with sliced mangoes and do whipped cream instead of the frosting....I originally wanted whipped cream but I had none in the house and it was a Sunday so you know, improvise! My inspiration was Tres Lech Cake and Thai coconut sticky rice (Mexican and Thai foods are my favorite foods - why not mix the two?). So here you have it Emily's Coconut Cream Cake.

As a note my kids threw in a handful of chocolate chips into my coconut syrup and thus the ugly color. We couldn't taste it and at all all it did was make for some ugly coloring! So if you made this cake just know it would be much prettier then mine, I promise! The kids like to help out and like their mother have an inventive spirit when it comes to food! :)

Ingredients

Cake:
1 white cake mix ( I used Pillsbury)
1 small box non-instant vanilla pudding mix - divided
3 eggs
1/3 cup oil
1 cup water

Syrup:
1 can coconut milk
1/2 cup scant sugar
1/4 tsp salt

Frosting:
5 TB vanilla pudding
6 TB soften butter
5-6 TB coconut CREAM
2 cups confectioners sugar

Directions

1.) In a small mixing bowl measure out 5 TB of the vanilla pudding and set aside for frosting. Then in a large mixing bowl mix the remaining pudding mix withe the cake mix, eggs, oil, and water. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for time listed on box.

2.) While the cake is baking start to make the syrup. In a med sauce pan over medium heat stir coconut milk, sugar, and salt together. Stirring very often cook syrup until it is thick. Then set aside until cake is done.

3.) Remove cake form oven and using a fork punch holes all over the top surface of the cake- all over and close together. Then pour your syrup all over the cake as evenly as possible. Spread around as needed. Cover tightly and let sit on counter until it has mostly cooled. At this point I took off cover making sure not to let he condensation drip back onto the cake. I recovered it with fresh plastic wrap and then put it in the fridge to sit over night. At this point place your unopened can of coconut milk in the fridge to cool.

4) When time is approaching for you to serve your cake prepare the frosting. Cream butter. Add the vanilla pudding ad cream together. Then open your can of cold coconut milk. Skim off the cream on the top getting about 5 or 6 TB. and add it to your butter and vanilla pudding. Cream together until it is smooth. Then gradually add your confectioners sugar and whip until silky smooth. Spread over your cold cake and recover and place in the fridge until you are ready to serve. Serve cold. Sprinkle with coconut flakes to garnish. yum!

Tate and Variation Notes: The cake sort of steams which gives it a really fun texture. The coconut cream syrup isn't overly sweet. The frosting is rich though. If this was served with a tart fruit it would be dreamy. You could do pineapple for a pina colada taste or do mangoes to give it more of the Thai sticky rice flare. If you love coconut and want to do the whipped cream add some of the coconut cream to the whipping cream and that would be lovely.

Corn Bread Heaven!

I just made the second best corn bread I ever remember having in my life. The best being Morris Center cafeteria corn bread. Holy cow that was good! I remember one afternoon I went down to the cafeteria. I was newly engaged and the birth control I had started had wreaked havoc on my body and I had gained 10 pounds and counting. I was bugged. It was Fall and Fall in Utah often is more like winter and so I couldn't run as much as I wanted. I did not want to get married at my heaviest weight ever. I was on a "diet" no fatty foods and low carbs. But as I looked at their corn bread sitting there in this giant pan I had to take a small serving. It just looked so moist. OH, MY!!! It was the best thing made of corn that I had ever put in my mouth. I ended up eating four HUGE servings. And I still wanted more but alas I had a class to get to. I never felt bad about eating that corn bread. It was that good. :O) Since I have tried here and there to make some good corn bread. I have come up short every time. It has been dry, and without much flavor. BUT yesterday as I stared at he mix I was about to make to go along with our chili I knew I needed to jazz it up some how. I did and I loved it. It was not as good as the BYU cafeteria's version but it was really yummy. I do not want to forget what I did this time around!


1 package Marie Callender's Original Corn bread
1 stick melted butter
1/4 to 1/2 cup honey (if you like honey a lot add more, if not then act accordingly)
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 regular sized can of corn - husband said it would be better without but if he wants it without the corn then he can bake some himself because I love those corn pieces! ;)

In a med mixing bowl add melted butter, honey, and corn pieces and mix until combined. Add 1 and 1/2 cups warm water and then stir in the corn bread mix. Pour in well greased 8 x8 pan and bake at 375 until just barely done, even a little undone (34 minutes) and let sit on your counter for 10/15 mintues to let it finish cooking a bit. Then serve. And you will experience corn bread heaven. You can serve with honey butter but I don't think it needs it.

Nanaimo Bars

Canada and I hardly know each other but I do have fond feelings for her. My sister who I absolutely adore and wanted to be when I was a child served her mission there and she loved Canada, thus I loved Canada a little bit in her behalf. I like her cold country because she is our neighbor and the people there say "Eh?". I like her because the people there eat things like dill pickle and ketchup flavored potato chips, and of course those yummy Nanaimo bars. When I learned that Prince Edward Island wasn't in England but was in fact a part of our neighbor, little old Canada, I liked her even more.

Now with Canada hosting the Winter Olympics I thought I should teach my little family what I know about her and what I like about her. And honestly what better way then making them Nanaimo bars! I wished I had the real Birds Custard Mix but alas I had to improvise with the recommendations of my mother's Canadian friend. I showed the kids a map, gave them a cookie, and then we watched the Olympics via NBC.com. It was fun. Now I think they like Canada too.

If you want to celebrate Canadian Olympics with Nanaimo bars here is the recipe. Enjoy!

The ingredients:

Bottom Layer

1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
5 TB cocoa
1 egg beaten
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped almonds
1 cup coconut

First crumble your graham crackers, chop (and I lightly roasted) almonds, and set them aside. Then beat your egg in a small bowl. Set that aside as well. Melt butter, sugar, and cocoa in a double broiler. When it is hot take a large spoon full of the hot cocoa mixture and quickly whisk it into your egg. Then repeat at least one other time. Then slowly pour your egg mixture into your sauce pan and quickly whisk it all together. Then watch the magic of the egg make you sauce into a thick syrup. At this point mix in your coconut and graham cracker crumbs. Press firmly into a 8x8 or a 9x9 pan and place in the refrigerator to harden.

Cream Layer

1/2 cup butter
4 TB cream
4 TB vanilla pudding powder (non instant)
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups powder sugar

Cream butter, vanilla, and pudding in large bowl. Alternate adding powder sugar and cream and beat until light. Spread over the bottom layer. and place in the refrigerator.

Chocolate Layer

4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate ( use a nice brand...I used three bars of Dove dark chocolate and it was so good!)
3 TB butter

Place butter and chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and heat in microwave at 30 second intervals mixing in between until it s is melted and smooth to pour over the cream layer. Pour over cream layer and shake pan and tap on counter to help the chocolate spread out nice and smooth. then cover and let harden in the Fridge until ready to eat.

When cutting boil water on the stove and put knife in the hot water before each cut to prevent the chocolate from cracking while you cut.

Crack Pie from Manhattan Hot Spot.

Ok, here is the pie people are talking about all over the place, Crack Pie. My mother, who loves me greatly, sent me the article from the LA times that gave the coveted recipe. I had to try it. It is all the rage, Anderson Cooper even raves about it. So I bought myself some cream and raided our food storage for powered milk and set to work.

For this baking adventure I decided I would go Pioneer Women style...honestly I am yet to LOVE a single one of her recipes and sometimes having to look at pictures of every move she makes drives me insane!!!! Seriously, I know how to stir! But that is beside the point... I was so into what I was doing and how lovely an experience I was having I couldn't help myself. I wanted to capture all of it. It was fun. However, I do have to say I one-upped her. I had the cutest littlest assistant you ever did see by my side. Love him.

Here we go.First you make the cookie dough for the cookie crust. It is a basic cookie with oats added for flavor and texture. I do love them oats. Instead of forming cookies you spread the dough into a 9 x 13 pan and bake. When done you remove the cookie from pan and let cool on a rack until completely cooled...I broke mine up to speed things up.

Then you crumble the cookie pieces even more. Benjie enjoyed this part immensely. Don't you love my old school standing mixer? I do.

Once you have a nice crumb add brown sugar, salt and butter until you get a crumb mixture that holds it shape when you press it together in your palm. Like so,

Divided your crumb into two and press it into two 10 inch pie pans to make a thin crust. It is a shallow pie so the edges do not need to be high at all. Now at this point you are thinking you could fill the dang pies with nothing more then whipped cream and it would be great, you have a cookie crumb crust people! YUM!

Now here comes the triple bypass.

In a large bowl mix together white sugar, brown sugar, salt, and powdered milk. My mixture looked like this:

Then pour in two sticks melted butter, heavy cream, vanilla, and count them

EIGHT egg yolks. Can I say decadent?!?!?!
Mix well but don't let it get fluffy. Benjie was a pro at this.

Pour your yellow custardy mixture on top of your prepared pie crusts. I don't own pie pans thus I used circular cake pans, they did just fine.

At this point you bake them one at a time starting them out at 35o for 20 minutes and then lower the temp to 325 and bake for another 15 minutes adding on 5 minutes if you are using a 9 inch pan. When you take them out of the oven they will seem under cooked. It is perfect that way! If you cook them too long the cookie and the filling combine into one and lose their charming attributes. Trust me! I know from pie number two. :(

Let your little beauties cool on the counter until they are room temperature and then chill in the fridge. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before you sever them. This pie presents like a lemon bar but warn your tasters this tastes very different. Buttery, creamy, sweet, salty, and while very rich you find yourself eating bite after bite. It does have a butterscotch taste to it but creamy all at the same time. If butterscotch is your thing then you will be a fan.

Enjoy! Heaven knows I did.

Crack Pie
from Momofuku Bakery & Milk Bar, Manhattan

Cookie for Crust

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup light-brown sugar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 large egg
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup old-fashioned oats
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

1.) Heat oven to 375 degrees.
2.) sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in medium bowl. set aside
3.) in bowl of a standing mixer beat butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until ight and fluffy. Then add your room temp egg and mix until well incorporated.
4.) With mixer running add the flour mixture a little at a time until incorporated and then add your oats.
5.) Spread in a 9 x 13 and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan and let cool on a rack.

Crust

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon light-brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt

1.) Break up your cookies into a bowl using hands or mixer to do the job until you get a even crumb mixture.
2.) then add you butter, sugar, and salt andm ix until when pressed it holds its shape.
3.) divide hte crumb evenly and then press into 10 inch pie pans. Set aside.

Filling

1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light-brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cups milk powder
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
3/4 plus 2 TB cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
8 large egg yolks
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

1.) Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
2.)In a large bowl, whisk together sugars, salt, and milk powder, breaking up any lumps.
3.) Whisk in butter, heavy cream, and vanilla until well combined. Whisk in yolks until just combined.
4.) Pour filling into prepared pie crusts. Transfer pies to oven and bake until filling is set, about 15 minutes. Then reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees and continue baking until top of pie is golden brown ( 10 minutes) you want this pie to wiggle like crazy when you move it.
5.) Remove from oven and let cool. Transfer to refrigerator and refrigerate until cool. Dust with confectioners' sugar just before serving.

* One recipe I found had you bake at 325 for 15 minutes and then lower the temp to 315 until top is golden brown but the filling is still wiggly. Next time I will try this on the pies and see if I get a better result, you don't to want to over bake these pies!

Five Flavor Pound Cake

I thought this would be weird. I thought it'd be a flop but everyone on the allrecipe website gave it great reviews so I gave it a whirl. I didn't have coconut extract so I substituted with almond. I think it would have been good either way. I loved this cake because the cake in and of its self was so sweet and yummy. I didn't make the glaze since I used it as a cupcake. Some reviews said the glaze was a bit much and I personally loved it layered with real whipped cream and sliced strawberries. Holy cow! SOOO good! I know I did this for valentines but I think with fresh strawberries it'd be perfect for Easter.

Ingredients

Cake

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening

3 cups white sugar

5 eggs, beaten

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon coconut extract

1 teaspoon lemon extract

1 teaspoon rum flavored extract

1 teaspoon butter flavored extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Glaze

1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 cup water

1/2 teaspoon coconut extract

1/2 teaspoon rum flavored extract

1/2 teaspoon butter flavored extract

* 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 10 inch tube pan. In a small bowl, combine flour and baking powder. Set aside. In a measuring cup, combine the milk and 1 teaspoon each coconut, lemon, rum, butter and vanilla extracts; set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, shortening and 3 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, and beat until smooth. Beat in flour mixture alternately with milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Spoon mixture into prepared pan.

3. Bake for 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours, or until cak

e tests done. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes.

4. Turn cake out of pan onto wire rack. Place waxed paper under rack to catch glaze drippings. Slowly spoon Five Flavor Glaze onto top of hot cake. Cool completely.

5. To make the Five Flavor Glaze: In a saucepan, combine 1/2 cup sugar, water and 1/2 teaspoon each coconut, lemon, rum, butter and vanilla extracts. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved.

Pasta With Fresh Tomatoes

My mother also made dishes like this all the time growing up. We had lots of tomatoes to eat up from our garden and this was a great way to do it.

Ingredients:

1 lb. pasta
4-6 TB olive oil
Peeled, chopped fresh tomatoes ( I don't think we bothered to peel)
1/4 cup sliced green onions
2 tsp. chopped fresh basil
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

cook pasta and drain. Immediately toss with remaining ingredients

Variations:

You may want to add some of the following: 1 clove finely minced garlic, 1/2 cup sliced ripe olives, 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper, 3 TB chopped Italian parsley