jamie of all trades

a thanksgiving pie round up

the good thing about thanksgiving pie is that you can wait till the last minute to make it.  if you need some recipes + inspiration for your pie, here's my round up:

{image via}

:: pumpkin pie - classic

:: apple pie - if pumpkin isn't your thing

:: cherry pie - again if pumpkin isn't your thing

:: apple tart - puts a new spin on pie

:: french pear pie - a little something new

topped them off with my least favorite thing, whipped cream.

 

and if pie isn't your thing, try one of these:

:: pumpkin creme brulee

:: pumpkin flan

happy thanksgiving!  see you next week.

xoxo joat

 

cinco de mayo ideas

tomorrow is cinco de mayo and if you're looking for something some recipes, here are a few:

:: drink - margarita

:: start with - guacamole

 

:: serve - fish tacos

 

:: dessert - i haven't made any but try these margarita cupcakes.

happy cinco de mayo, ole!
 

turtle cheesecakes or engagement cakes?

i had some girlfriends over on friday night for dinner, wine, chatting, catching up, bonding and most importantly dessert.  we do this a few times a year and it's one of my favorite things.  mostly for connection time but eating dessert is up there too. 

i don't know what made me decide on turtle {caramel + pecans} cheesecakes but i did.  perhaps they should be called engagement cakes?  we ate these friday night and the very next day my friend kris' boyfriend, kevin, proposed to her! woo hoo!  congratulations kris + kevin.

another recipe written by moi!

 

1/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup crushed chocolate cookies
8 oz cream cheese, soften
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup sugar 
3 eggs
1/4 caramel
1/4 cup toasted pecans

preheat oven to 350.  in a mixing bowl, stir melted butter and chocolate cookies together until all the cookies crumbs are covered.  line a muffin tin with cupcake papers, scoop in enough cookie crumb mixture to cover the bottoms.  press in with the bottom of a glass.  bake for 5 minutes.

in the bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, ricotta cheese, sugar and eggs together until smooth.  pour into the muffin tin, about 3/4 of the way full.  bake for 30 minutes, allow to cool and then refrigerate for at least 1 hour, even overnight is okay.  drizzle with caramel and top with nuts.

{the pack up real nice for an engagement celebration too!}  

spanakopita

back when i held my cocktail party one of my 'made' appetizers was spanakopita.  spanakopita is always a hit and a great finger food you can just eat with a napkin.  and they are super easy to make.  you can make the filling ahead of time and then assemble right before the party and bake.  nothing is better than a homemade spanakopita. opa!

4 cups of spinach
1/4 cup olive oil
1 white or yellow onion
1-2 cloves of garlic
4 scallions, chopped, white and light green parts
2 tbls flat-leaf parsley, chopped 
salt + pepper
1/2 cup crumbled feta
1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 tsp water
1 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 pound filo pastry sheets

in a large pot filled 2/3s full of water.  bring to a boil.  add spinach and cook for 1 minute.  remove and drain in a colander or sieve.  dry with paper towels until most of the water has been absorbed.  set aside.

 

heat olive oil in a large skillet.  add spinach, garlic and scallions and saute until soft, about 2-3 minutes.  add parsley and salt + pepper.  allow to cool or chill overnight.

 

preheat oven to 350.  stir feta in with the beaten egg.  Add to the spinach mixture.  remove the filo dough from the fridge and unroll onto a flat surface.  using a sharp knife, cut the file into 3x11 inch strips.  using a pastry brush, brush a strip of filo with melted butter.  place another strip of on top.  at the end of the double filo strip, place a small amount of the spinach mixture 1 inch from the end.  fold one end of the filo over the spinach mix to form a triangle.  continue folding like a flag.  

 

repeat until all the spinach mixture is gone.  brush the triangles lightly with butter and bake for 20-25 minutes.  serve hot.

julia child's beef bourguignon

yesterday it was my sister's birthday so we had a julie + julia party and made julia child's beef bourguignon. {recipe is at the link, it's too long to post out.}  it's a long and more difficult recipe.  but your labors are rewarded because it's an incredible dish.  it might be one of my favorite meals.

you can top it on noodles, rice or potatoes.  we did noodles but i wanted potatoes.  oh well, i guess i'll just have to make it again soon.

here are some photos.

going in the oven

liquid is evaporated

ready to be served

on the plate

coffee frosting with starbucks via

i've been meaning to get this recipe down on paper ever since i first made it here.  if you're looking for a non-vanilla or chocolate frosting recipe this is a good one.  it's for coffee frosting and some say it's one of my best.  it has such a unique flavor.

another recipe written by moi!

2 packets starbucks via columbia {i've said it before and i'll say it again, if you're supposed to cook with wine you'd drink, shouldn't that be the same for coffee? }
3/4 cup coffee flavored liqueur
4 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

in a small bowl, combine the starbucks via with the coffee liqueur and stir until disolved, set aside.  in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, whisk together the egg whites and sugar until the sugar is dissolved, and the mixture is warm to the touch, about 2-3 minutes.

in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk, beat the egg white/sugar mixture on high speed until sift peaks have formed, about 6 minutes.

switch to the paddle attachment and with the mixture on medium to low speed, add the butter a few tablespoons at a time.  beating well after each addition.  continue beating until smooth and fluffy.  {the frosting might appear to separate but keep beating until smooth.}  with the mixer on low speed, add the coffee and liqueur mixture until smooth.  {again the frosting might appear to separate, especially at this addition, but keep beating until smooth.}  beat on the lowest speed to remove any air bubbles, about 2 minutes.

i dusted mine with a starbucks via/sugar mixture for effect.  combine 2 packets of starbucks via with 4 tablespoons of sugar and sprinkle on your frosted cupcakes.  pretty, huh?

end of summer pasta salad

i spoke too soon.  summer is not over.  to celebrate it stickin' around for a bit longer i made a summer pasta salad.  the tomatoes and basil came from my mom's garden. and i mixed them sweet balsamic vinegar before pouring over pasta. recipe written by moi!

1 pound rotinni pasta {you could use a penne or angel hair too}
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup basil, chopped
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded {i used a more pungent parmesan but you can use a mild one if you don't like strong cheese}

bring a large pot of water to a boil.  add pasta and cook for 7 minutes.  {time will be less if you're using fresh pasta} drain, place in a large bowl and set aside.

slices tomatoes in half and place in a medium bowl.  pour balsamic vinegar over tomatoes and mix.  sprinkle in basil and salt and stir to combine.  pour the tomato mixture and olive oil over the pasta and toss together.  add garlic, salt/pepper, parmesan cheese and toss again.

oatmeal raisin cookies

like it or not fall is coming.  and that means a lot of indoor time and cooking and baking.  one of my favorite fall cookies is oatmeal raisin and this is my favorite recipe.

1 cup butter, soften {the normal recipe calls for 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup butter flavored shortening. shortening will make your cookies more puffy but contain more fat.}
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup raisins

preheat oven to 350.  in a large bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, sugar, eggs and vanilla.  combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, clover and salt.  stir into the sugar mixture.  stir in the oats and raisins.  drop a teaspoon full onto a cookie sheet.

bake 10 to 12 minutes.  do not overbake.  let cool for 2 minutes before removing from the cookie sheet to cool completely.  store in an airtight container.  

meringues

over the weekend i saw the movie julie & julia {i felt like i was the last person to see it.}  and afterwards i wanted two things, eat and cook.  it was a busy weekend so i wasn't going to make beef berguignon or bone a duck so i decided to make one of my favorite treats, meringues.  they're simple to make but have an elegant feel to them.

recipe from martha stewart baking handbook.

2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
a pinch of salt
1/2 tsp vanilla

preheat oven to 200.   line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat; set aside. in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer set over a pot of simmering water, combine egg whites, sugar and salt.  whisk constantly until the sugar has dissolved and the egg mixture is warm to the touch, about 2 minutes.  attached the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beak on medium speed until stiff peaks form, 2-4 minutes.  beat in vanilla.

using a large spoon or pipping set, scoop fluffy mouth of meringue onto the baking sheet.  bake until just dry to the touch but still white in color about 1 1/2 hours.  transfer sheet to wire rack and let meringues cool completely before removing from the tray.  meringues can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day.

summers end :: green tomato tian

i've been meaning to make this vegetable tian dish from my 'to make' recipe book for a while.  i wanted to try using only green tomatoes so i modified the recipe.  it ended up being a bit watery but serve with a hunk of bread to soak the juice because it's good.  this recipe is also a really good way to use up green tomatoes from your garden. 

 

good olive oil
2 yellow onions, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 pounds green tomatoes, sliced
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 tbls fresh thyme
2 oz gruyere cheese, grated

preheat over to 375
in a medium sauce pan, heat two tablespoons of olive oil and cook the onions over medium-low head for 8 to 10 minutes, until translucent.  add the garlic and cook for another minute.  spread the onion mixture on the bottom of the baking dish.

slick the tomatoes in 1/4-inch-thick slices.  layer them in the dish on top of the onions, fitting them in  tightly.  sprinkle with salt, pepper, thyme leaves.  cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 35-40 minutes.  uncover the dish, sprinkle the cheese on top and bake for another 30 minutes.  serve warm.

for lunch the next day, take a sliced baguette and spread with goat cheese.  top with the onions and tomatoes and you've got a tasty veggie sandwich.