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Showing posts from February, 2020

Eclairs

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I’ve been making these since I was in 7th grade. They have improved over the years, and they are near perfect. They get a 9.5. I make more cream puff style because it’s easier. I use the shell recipe from the Fine cooking magazine. Éclair Pastry Shells By Carolyn Weil Fine Cooking Issue 75 2 oz. (1/4 cup) unsalted butter 1/2 tsp. table salt 4-1/2 oz. (1 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour 3 large eggs 1 cup water https://www.finecooking.com/recipe/eclair-pastry-shells I double this to get 36-40 cream puffs. You essentially melt the butter, water and salt together. You boil this and then add the flour (measure by weight). Then, you stir this for about 2 minutes, use a wooden spoon and kind of mash it against the sides of the pan. Then, put it in a kitchenaid and run on low to cool it a bit. After a few minutes, add the eggs, one at a time. It separates, then you move the speed up, and lower it again for the next egg. Run it for about 30 seconds at the end and

Lemon Bundt cake

So, this recipe came from sallysbakingaddiction.com, and I essentially  used the same recipe from the orange bundt cake and changed it to lemon. I think the orange version is better, but this is plenty good. Lemon Bundt Cake 3 cups (300g) sifted cake flour * I did mine by weight, 1/3 cornstarch and then flour to 300 g. 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup (230g) unsalted butter , softened to room temperature   I also added 1 Tbs. of oil 1 and 2/3 cups (333g) granulated sugar I did 1 1/4 cups sugar and it was plenty 4 large eggs , at room temperature 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract zest of 3 oranges (about 5–6 packed Tablespoons) I also added the zest of about half an orange and did 1/3 cup lemon zest and orange zest combined juice from 2 oranges (about 1/2 cup fresh juice) I did lemon juice instead 3/4 cup (180ml) buttermilk , room temperature* Easy Orange Glaze 1 and 1/4 cups (150g) sifted confectioners’ sugar I only did 1 cu

Totally Not Authentic But Super Delicious Instant Pot Red Coconut Curry Noodles

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This was good, but John thought it was a bit bland. However, it does have potential, and it came from melskitchencafe.com. It needs a bit more flavor, so I added some curry powder after the fact and that helped. You can add a lot more things to the sauce to kick it up a notch. The sauce thickens as it cools. Totally Not Authentic But Super Delicious Instant Pot Red Coconut Curry Noodles 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth 16 ounces fettuccine noodles, broken in half We used rice noodles 1 can (13.5 ounces) coconut milk, light or regular We used lite, but it needed some more kick, so soy sauce might also be good 1/4 cup sweet Thai chili sauce (see note) 1 tablespoon fresh ginger or ginger paste Go generous with this 1 tablespoon red curry paste (see note) I would at least double this, if not more and the Mae Ploy brand is the best 3 cloves garlic, finely minced I would double this, plus some 1 teaspoon salt (I use coarse, kosher salt) 1 cup snow peas, halved or whole We al

Chocolate Raspberry Fondue

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So, the flavor on this was amazing, but the texture wasn’t super smooth, I think because of the raspberries. You could maybe add some half and half to thin it out. Also, I wouldn’t add the raspberry stuff until the end Chocolate Raspberry Fondue 12 oz. dark chocolate 1 1/4 cups cream 1 tsp. vanilla 1/2 cup fresh raspberry jam 1/4 tsp. raspberry extract/flavoring handful fresh raspberries 2 T. butter

Gruyere and Onion fondue

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So, this was good, but it needs more liquid I think and if people don’t like swiss cheese, throw in some gouda. Gruyere and Onion fondue (it's the one with the blue spatula) 12 oz. Gruyere cheese 10 oz. Jarlsberg cheese 2 T. cornstarch 1 1/2 cups white wine 3 cloves minced garlic 1 caramelized onion squeeze of lemon juice 1 tsp. dijon mustard dash nutmeg

Pepper Jack Fondue

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So, I based this off a fondue at Anasazi Steakhouse and this was a pretty good copycat. Here is what I did: Pepper Jack Fondue 1 cup white wine About 1/2 tsp of seasoning from Italian grinder garlic 1 caramelized onion Squeeze of lemon juice 4 cups of mixed Monterey Jack and Pepper Jack cheese, grated (this was too much, or increase the wine—I think the good ration is 3:1 cheese to liquid) 2 Tbs. cornstarch You boil the wine with the garlic and onions, add the seasoning, and then add the cheese in slowly and then squeeze the lemon juice in.

Carrot Cake

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This is the best carrot cake I have personally ever had. I would be shocked if there is a better one out there, but feel free to prove me wrong. This is a 9.5. Some carrot cakes contain canned pineapple and orange zest and coconut, and I am sure those are great, but this is more traditional. Ultimate Carrot Cake By Greg Case Fine Cooking Issue 63 Softened butter and flour for the pan 1/2 cup dried currants I leave these out 1 lb. carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces 10 oz. (2-1/4 cups) all-purpose flour measure this 2 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. table salt 1 tsp. ground cinnamon I am generous with this, probably 1 1/2 tsp. 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg I am generous with all the seasonings, and I also add 1/4 tsp. ginger 1/4 tsp. ground allspice 1/4 tsp. ground mace 1/4 tsp. ground cloves 3 oz. (3/4 cup) walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped I always do walnuts 4 large eggs, at room temperature 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar I do a scant cup 1/2 cup packed d

Chicken Casserole—aka Mormon Food

I didn’t include a picture because I know it would have discouraged people from clicking on this post. I have loved casserole since I was a kid, and I fully admit it is plain, and somewhat dull, and not very healthy. I only make one casserole, and it’s only a few times a year, but hadley and I love it (and, most everyone else with any discerning taste hates it). However, if Hadley ever needs to find the recipe for this uber-Mormon meal, here it is: Chicken Cassrole 2 cups brown rice, cooked 2 lbs. broccoli, cooked 1 chicken breast,. shredded (or 1 can of that Costco chicken) Cheddar cheese, 1 cup or so 1/2 cup sour cream (you could just do a can of cream of chicken, along with the sour cream and mayo, but I don’t think it adds much) 1/2 cup mayo lemon juice from 1/2 a lemon salt and pepper, to taste seasoned salt, to taste onion powder, to taste Bread crumbs parmesan cheese So, you combine everything except the bread crumbs and parmesan cheese and stir it together. You

Applesauce Cake

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We had this a ton growing up, so I thought this would be a nice nostalgic thing to make. This was a bit frustrating because it said to bake for 35-40 minutes, but when I checked it at the 35-minute mark, it was overdone and dry. Boo. Next time I'll start checking it at the 25-minute mark. I have no idea where my parents originally got this recipe. 1 cube butter 1 C applesauce 2 C. flour 1/2 tsp. salt pinch cloves I used 1/4 tsp. 1/2 C raising I left these out 1 1/2 C sugar I used 1 C. 2 eggs 1 1/2 tsp soda 2 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. nutmeg 1/2 C nuts I used walnuts Mix ingredients together and put in cake pan .  Bake at 350 for 35-40 (start checking it at 25) minutes. Serve with lemon sauce and whipped cream. Lemon Sauce Pinch of salt 1 TBS cornstarch 1 C boiling water Zest from 1 lemon 3 TBS lemon juice 1/2 C sugar I used 1/2 C 2 TBS butter I used 1 TBS Dash of nutmeg Mix the dry ingredients in a small saucepan. Add water and boil 5 minutes until thick