Friday Recipes

Here are today's six recipes to get you through the weekend. Enjoy!

PECAN PIE

This comes from Carroll Pellegrinelli, About.com's Desserts/Baking expert. She writes, “I've never really cared for pecan pie because it's typically too sweet. This recipe isn't like that at all. It's just wonderful. Both my mother and mother-in-law love this pie.”

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Makes One - 9-inch pie

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

4 eggs

1 cup dark brown sugar*

3/4 cup light corn syrup*

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup melted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups pecans, chopped, lightly toasted

9-inch unbaked pie shell

1/3 cup (about 25) nice looking pecan halves

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Beat eggs will in a large bowl. Add brown sugar, corn syrup, salt, melted butter and vanilla to eggs, mix thoroughly.

Sprinkle chopped pecans in pie shell. Pour egg mixture oven pecans. Arrange pecan halves around edge of filling next to crust for decoration. Bake Pecan Pie on middle rack of oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 degrees F and continue baking for 25 to 30 minutes, until set.

Serve Pecan Pie at room temperature.

Notes in the Margin:

* I've made this with light brown sugar and dark corn syrup. The flavor was pretty much the same.

MAPLE ACORN SQUASH

From Essential Eating, A Cookbook by Janie Quinn, via the December, 1005 issue of Publix's GreenWise publication.10 minutes prep time; serves 4

1 acorn squash

4 Tbsp maple syrup or brown sugar, or to taste

2 tsp butter

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wash and cut squash in half crosswise. Remove seeds. If needed, slice a tiny piece off at the bottom of each half to prevent squash from rolling when placed on a flat surface. Fill a small baking pan with ¼ inch water. Place halves in pan, cut side down. Bake 25 to 35 minutes, or until tender when pierced with tip of a sharp knife. Remove pan from oven and turn squash over. Place 2 Tbsp syrup or sugar and 1 tsp of butter in each squash half. All butter to melt. Serve.

Per serving: 225 calories; 2 g Protein; 49 g carbohydrates; 3 g fiber; 4 g total fat (2 g sat, 1 g mono); 11 mg sodium; vitamins B1 (thiamin) B6, Manganese, A, B3 (niacin), C, Pantothenic acid, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc

VANILLA CHEESECAKE WITH SALTED CARAMEL

This comes from Tablespoon.com, and begins, “Creamy vanilla cheesecake with a graham cracker crust and drizzled with a dark salted caramel.” Prep Time: 1 hr 30 min; Total Time: 5 hr 30 mini; Servings: 12.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Crust:

2 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs

3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup butter, melted

Cheesecake:

4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 large eggs

Whipped Cream:

1 cup heavy cream, chilled

3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Salted Caramel:

3/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup whipping cream, warmed

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon sea salt (and more for topping)

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°F.

For the crust: Combine the graham cracker crust, sugar, and butter until well combined. Press into the bottom and up the sides of a 10-inch springform pan. Bake for 5-7 minutes.

For the cheesecake: Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating until blended after each egg. Pour into graham cracker crust. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until center is set.

Let cheesecake cool. Run a knife around the outside of the cheesecake before removing the rim. Refrigerate for at least four hours or overnight if possible.

Once cheesecake has cooled, prepare the whipped cream. For the whipping cream: Whip the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla until soft peaks form. Spread over the top of the cheesecake.

For the salted caramel: In a large heavy saucepan combine the sugar and water over medium heat stirring constantly. Once mixture starts boiling, DO NOT STIR AT ALL. Continue to boil mixture for 8-12 minutes or until mixture turns a golden brown. Remove from heat. The mixture will continue to brown after removed from heat.

Quickly stir in butter and warmed cream, whisking until smooth. Add vanilla and sea salt and stir until combined. Pour into a container to cool. Caramel should be served at room temperature but stored in the fridge. Caramel will harden when cold.

CROCKPOT VEGETABLE MINESTRONE

Linda Larsen, About.com's Busy Cooks guide, writes, “This hearty recipe has a very complex flavor. One of the more surprising parts of the recipe is that pasta cooks right in the crockpot.”

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 8 hours; Total Time: 8 hours, 20 minutes

Ingredients:

4 cups vegetable broth or stock

4 cups tomato juice

1 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. dried basil leaves

1/8 tsp. pepper

2 carrots, sliced

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup sliced mushrooms

2 (14 oz.) cans diced tomatoes, undrained

1-1/2 cups uncooked rotini pasta

Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Mix all ingredients except pasta and cheese in a 4-5 quart crockpot. Cover crockpot and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours until vegetables are tender. Stir in pasta. Cover and cook on HIGH setting for 15-25 minutes until pasta is tender. Sprinkle each serving with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. 12 servings

BOBBY'S PARKER HOUSE ROLLS

This comes from Bobby Flay of the Food Network'sBoy Meets Grill.

Total Time: 2 hr 45 min; prep: 20 min; Inactive: 2 hr; Cook: 25 min; Yields about 24 rolls; level: intermediate

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups milk

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for brushing

1/2 cup sugar

1 package active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

6 cups all-purpose flour

Directions

Place milk in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat, stir in the butter and sugar and let cool. Dissolve yeast in warm water and let sit until foamy. Combine milk mixture, eggs, yeast, salt, and 1/2 of the flour in a mixer with the dough attachment and mix until smooth. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, and stir until a smooth ball forms.

Remove from the bowl and knead by hand on a floured surface for about 5 minutes. Place in greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 60 to 70 minutes. On a floured surface, punch down the dough and shape into desired shapes. Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Cover again and let rise until doubled, about 30 to 40 minutes.

Preheat the oven 350 degrees F.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and brush with melted butter before serving.

SWEET POTATO & SQUASH GRATIN

This comes from Seattle's Macrina Bakery's monthly email. (Hint: If you're not on their emailing list, I'd advise signing up. They have really great recipes. Go ahead, I'll wait.)

This recipe starts off, “This rich and creamy side dish is a wonderful addition to fall dinners and a must-have at Thanksgiving. We put our twist on classic potatoes au gratin by combining sweet potatoes with roasted chanterelles, delicata squash and chopped walnuts. You can substitute any of your favorite mushroom varieties for the chanterelles.” Makes 8 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

8 ounces chanterelles, cleaned and sliced into 1/2-inch pieces

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large garlic clove, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped and divided

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

1 1/2 pounds delicata squash, peeled and thinly sliced

4 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated

1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper for roasting the mushrooms. Butter a 7x10-inch baking dish or brush it with olive oil.

In a small bowl, toss mushrooms with olive oil, garlic and 1 tablespoon of the thyme. Layer the mushroom mixture evenly on the prepared baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Roast the mushrooms in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes to reduce the moisture and slightly brown. Set aside and let cool.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the cream, milk, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and add in the sweet potatoes and squash. Cover the pan and continue simmering for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the cover and stir in the Gruyère and mushrooms. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish in an even layer. Top with walnuts and remaining thyme.

Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes until the top is golden brown and cream is reduced.

Let stand for 20 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Weekday Foods - Thanksgiving

If you're here in the U.S., you probably realize that Thanksgiving is next week. So, I'm adding a few more Thanksgiving recipes. However, don't feel that you have to save these goodies for holidays; they're perfect for any time at all. Enjoy!

BOBBY'S PARKER HOUSE ROLLS

This comes from Bobby Flay of the Food Network'sBoy Meets Grill.

Total Time: 2 hr 45 min; prep: 20 min; Inactive: 2 hr; Cook: 25 min; Yields about 24 rolls; level: intermediate

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups milk

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for brushing

1/2 cup sugar

1 package active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

6 cups all-purpose flour

Directions

Place milk in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat, stir in the butter and sugar and let cool. Dissolve yeast in warm water and let sit until foamy. Combine milk mixture, eggs, yeast, salt, and 1/2 of the flour in a mixer with the dough attachment and mix until smooth. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, and stir until a smooth ball forms.

Remove from the bowl and knead by hand on a floured surface for about 5 minutes. Place in greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 60 to 70 minutes. On a floured surface, punch down the dough and shape into desired shapes. Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Cover again and let rise until doubled, about 30 to 40 minutes.

Preheat the oven 350 degrees F.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and brush with melted butter before serving.

SWEET POTATO & SQUASH GRATIN

This comes from Seattle's Macrina Bakery's monthly email. (Hint: If you're not on their emailing list, I'd advise signing up. They have really great recipes. Go ahead, I'll wait.)

This recipe starts off, “This rich and creamy side dish is a wonderful addition to fall dinners and a must-have at Thanksgiving. We put our twist on classic potatoes au gratin by combining sweet potatoes with roasted chanterelles, delicata squash and chopped walnuts. You can substitute any of your favorite mushroom varieties for the chanterelles.” Makes 8 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

8 ounces chanterelles, cleaned and sliced into 1/2-inch pieces

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large garlic clove, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped and divided

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

1 1/2 pounds delicata squash, peeled and thinly sliced

4 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated

1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper for roasting the mushrooms. Butter a 7x10-inch baking dish or brush it with olive oil.

In a small bowl, toss mushrooms with olive oil, garlic and 1 tablespoon of the thyme. Layer the mushroom mixture evenly on the prepared baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Roast the mushrooms in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes to reduce the moisture and slightly brown. Set aside and let cool.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the cream, milk, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and add in the sweet potatoes and squash. Cover the pan and continue simmering for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the cover and stir in the Gruyère and mushrooms. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish in an even layer. Top with walnuts and remaining thyme.

Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes until the top is golden brown and cream is reduced.

Let stand for 20 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

PUMPKIN CRANBERRY BREAD

This comes from Family Time, and starts out, "A moist and delectable pumpkin bread with tart fresh cranberries. Have a slice for breakfast or enjoy as an afternoon snack." Makes 2 loaves; prep time: 10 minutes; cook time: 55 minutes.

This can be viewed online at http://www.familytime.com/recipe/showrecipe.aspx?recipeid=13163.

Ingredients

2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

2 cup granulated sugar

1 3/4 cup LIBBY ® 100% Pure Pumpkin

1/2 cup Vegetable Oil

1 cup frozen or sweetened dried cranberries, fresh

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9x5-inch loaf pans.

Combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Combine eggs, sugar, pumpkin and vegetable oil in small mixer bowl; beat just until blended. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. Fold in cranberries. Spoon batter into prepared loaf pans.

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 5 to 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

WINTER VEGETABLE RAGOUT

This comes from Rebecca Franklin, About.com's French Food expert. She wrote, "Warm and inviting, this winter vegetable ragout makes the perfect home-style dinner. Serve this simple vegetable stew with a bottle of wine, a loaf of country bread, and a crisp, green salad for a complete meal." Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

This winter vegetable ragout recipe make 6 servings.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil

4 large carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

4 cups butternut squash, cut into cubes

2 medium red onions, cut into thin strips

2 cups coarsely chopped green cabbage (optional)

2 medium turnips, coarsely chopped

Salt

Ground black pepper

1/3 cup vegetable or chicken stock1/3 cup dry white wine

2 plum tomatoes, cut into cubes

3/4 teaspoon dried thyme or rubbed sage

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Toss the carrots, butternut squash, red onions, cabbage, and turnips with the olive oil and arrange the vegetables in a large roasting pan. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper to taste and then roast them in the oven, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Stir the vegetable stock, white wine, tomatoes, and thyme or sage into the vegetables and continue roasting them for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened considerably and the vegetables have started to caramelize.

SPINACH AND KALE GRATIN RECIPE

Another recipe from Rebecca Franklin. She writes, "This spinach and kale gratin recipe will be at home on any dinner menu, be it for a relaxed family supper or a special holiday meal. A touch of thyme and a dusting of cheese sparks up the flavor of this beloved classic dish." Serves 4; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed

1 1/2 pounds spinach, rinsed, drained, and chopped

1/2 pounds baby kale, rinsed, drained, and chopped

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Preparations:

Preheat the oven to 375F and butter a gratin dish.

Sauté the onion in the olive oil for five minutes in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and continue sautéing the mixture for 30 seconds. Add the salt, pepper, dried thyme, spinach, baby kale to the pan and stir until the ingredients are combined. Cover the pan with a lid and turn the heat to low. Allow the spinach and kale to wilt for 3 minutes.

Stir the milk and heavy cream into the spinach mixture and turn it out into the buttered gratin dish. Stir together the melted butter, bread crumbs, and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, and sprinkle the bread crumbs over the gratin. Bake the spinach gratin in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until it is hot and bubbly, and the bread crumbs have turned golden brown.

HERBED CARROT SOUP

From the December 2005 issue of Runner's World; reprinted from HerbWise: Growing, Cooking, WellBeing, by Bruce Burnett

2 pounds of carrots, chopped

1 large onion, diced

6 sprigs of fresh parsley, 3 sprigs of fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon of dried thyme, and 6 six black peppercorns, bundled together so that they can be easily removed after cooking

2 cloves garlic, crushed

4 Tbs of butter

6 C of vegetable stock

Freshly grated mace or nutmeg

Salt & pepper to taste

Lightly sauté the onion & garlic in the butter. Add the stock & carrots & simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the bundle of herbs & continue to simmer for another 20 minutes. Remove the herbs, allow the soup to cool, & put it through the blender in batches. Reheat the soup over low heat while adding the mace or nutmeg & salt & pepper to taste. Serve with some fresh, homemade bread & garnish with some fresh parsley & a little chopped fresh thyme.

Note: The original recipe called for vegetable or chicken stock.