Cauliflower Soup

As soon as there's a chill in the air, I start making soup. I generally make one a week during Fall and Winter.

Here's another great one that I love.

Here's what you'll need:
A Stock Pot or a Dutch Oven with a Cover.

2 Onions, diced
2 Carrots, diced
2 Ribs of Celery, diced
2 Cloves of Garlic, minced
10 TBS Butter, divided
1 Head of Cauliflower, chopped
5 C Vegetable Broth
1/4 C minced fresh Parsley
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Pepper
1/2 tsp Dried Basil
1/2 tsp Dried Tarragon
6 TBS Flour
1 C Whole Milk
1/2 C Heavy Cream
1/4 C Sour Cream


In the Stock Pot on Medium High Heat:
4 TBS Butter, until melted.
Onions
Carrots
Celery
Garlic
Sauté until tender.

Add:
Cauliflower
Vegetable Broth
Parsley
Salt
Pepper
Basil
Tarragon

Cover and Simmer for 30 minutes.

In a Saucepan on Medium Heat:
Remaining Butter, until melted.
Add:
Flour
Whisk well until completely incorporated.

Add Gradually with a Whisk:
Milk
Heavy Cream
Whisk well.
Bring to a Boil.
Continue Whisking for 2 minutes, until it begins to thicken, creating a Roux.
Add this to the Stock Pot.
Continue cooking on Medium Heat for 10 minutes, stirring often, until it thickens.

Remove from Heat.
Gradually Whisk in Sour Cream.

Serve Hot.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Cranberry Orange Cake

If you love Cranberry Orange Muffins, this is the same flavor in a single layer cake.
It's a Great Holiday Dessert.

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
1 - 8" Cake Pan greased well with my Pan Release Mix:

Equal parts of Crisco, Vegetable Oil and Flour.
I start with 1 C of each mixed well and refrigerated in a Jar.
I always have it available for all of my baking needs.

Brush the Pan generously with the Mix.

1/3 C Granulated Sugar
1/3 C Vegetable Oil
2 Large Eggs
2 TBS Grated Orange Zest, divided.
2 TBS Fresh Orange Juice, divided.
1/3 C All Purpose Flour
1/3 C Cake Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Baking Powder
1/3 C Chopped Dried Cranberries
1/4 C Sliced Almonds
3/4 C Confectioner's Sugar
2 tsp Whole Milk

Cake:
In a Large Mixing Bowl with an Electric Hand Mixer:
Sugar
Oil
Eggs
1 TBS Orange Zest
1 TBS Orange Juice
Mix until Well Combined.

In Medium Mixing Bowl:
All Purpose Flour
Cake Flour
Salt
Baking Powder
Whisk Well.
Add this to the Sugar and Oil Mixture.
Gradually Mix just until Incorporated.

Add:
Cranberries, folded in by hand.
Spoon Batter into the Cake Pan.
Sprinkle the Top with Almonds.
Bake for 20 - 25 Minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
Remove Pan to a Rack for 5 Minutes.
Invert onto a Flat Surface.
Transfer to a Serving Platter.
Prepare the Icing.

Icing:
In a Small Mixing Bowl:
Confectioner's Sugar
1 TBS Orange Juice
Milk
Whisk Well.
Spoon into the Top of the Cake.
Sprinkle evenly with 1 TBS Orange Zest.
Cut into Wedges to Serve.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Creamed Corn Casserole

Here I go again posting a Corn Casserole Recipe. I have so many on th Blog but I just had this one recently and I love it.
Most of my friends know that I teach Quilting Classes, Lecture with a Trunk Show of my work and conduct Workshops for Local Quilt Guilds. I recently presented a Lecture with Trunk Show along with a Workshop at one of the Guilds. When Anne and I arrived, they had a wonderful dinner buffet.
This was one of the dishes and I asked for the recipe. Thank you to the wonderful members of the Irving, Texas Quilt Guild for your hospitality and this recipe.

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the Oven to 350 degrees
An 8" X 8" Baking Pan.

8 oz. Cream Cheese
4 TBS Butter
2 - 14 oz. Cans of Whole Corn Kernels, drained.
1 C Shredded Cheddar Cheese, divided.
1 - 4 oz. Can of Diced Green Chiles

In a Saucepan on Medium High Heat:
Cream Cheese
Butter
Cook until Creamy Smooth.

Add:
Corn
3/4 of the Cheddar Cheese
Chiles
Stir until well combined.

Spoon into the Baking Pan.
Top with remaining Cheddar Cheese.

Bake 15 - 20 minutes.

Serve Hot.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Traditional German Streusel Coffee Cake

I'm fascinated with food history so I decided to research the origin of Coffee Cake. I spent some time living with a family in Wetzlar, Germany in the early 70's. There was a pantry in the kitchen with a screen door. It was where they kept all of their tarts, pies and coffee cake. I had never seen that before I lived there. Every morning Mrs. Weller would serve something from the pantry for breakfast along with delicious coffee. Here's a recipe for a Traditional German Coffee Cake.

Here's a bit of Food History:

Food Historians agree the concept of Coffee Cake, eating Sweet Cakes with a Cup of Coffee, most likely originated in Northern Central Europe in the 17th Century.
These countries were already known for their traditional Sweet Yeast Breads. When Europe was introduced to Coffee, these Cakes were  the perfect accompaniment.
German, Dutch and Scandinavian Immigrants brought their Coffee Cake Recipes to America.
The original recipes were more like Bread than Cake. They were simple recipes with Yeast, Flour. Eggs, Sugar, Nuts, Dried Fruit and Spices.
Over a period of time, Coffee Cake recipes began to evolve with the addition of Sugared Fruits, Cheese, Yogurt and other Cream Fillings that are used today in American Coffee Cake Recipes.


Traditional German Streusel Coffee Cake


Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
1 - 9" X 9" Glass Baking Dish greased well with Butter.

2 C of Sifted All Purpose Flour
2 C of well packed Brown Sugar
2/3 C Butter, Room Temperature
1/2 tsp Salt
1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon, divided.
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
1/4 tsp Cloves
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
2 Large Eggs, beaten
1 C Buttermilk

In a Large Mixing Bowl with a Wooden Spoon:
Flour
Sugar
Butter
Salt
Mix by hand until well combined.

For the Streusel Topping, in a separate small bowl:
Remove 3/4 C of this mixture and add:
1/2 tsp Cinnamon.
Stir to combine well.
Set aside.

To the Original Large Bowl of Mix:
Remaining 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Baking Powder
Baking Soda
Mix to combine well.

In a separate Mixing Bowl:
Eggs
Buttermilk
Whisk well.
Add to the Dry Ingredients.
Mix well by hand.

Spoon Batter into the Pan.
Sprinkle evenly with Streusel topping.

Bake for 15 - 20 minutes.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

French Raspberry and Chocolate Cookies

I love French Chambord Liqueur. Raspberry is one of my favorite flavors in Jams, Jellies, Chocolate and Desserts. Here's a Chocolate and Raspberry Cookie.
You can substitute your favorite flavored Liqueur in this recipe.
Grand Marnier would also be great for an Orange/Chocolate taste.

Raspberry Liqueur from Chambord, France

My favorite Baking Cocoa Powder

Here's what you'll need:
1 1/2" Cookie Scoop
1 - small Plastic Icing Bottle.
Sheep Pans lined with Parchment Paper.
Prepare the Dough ahead of time, it needs to be refrigerated overnight.
When ready to Bake, Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

The Dough:

1 C Flour
3/4 C Cocoa Powder ( I only use Rodelle Cocoa Powder)
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
12 TBS Butter, softened to room temperature.
1 C Granulated Sugar
1 Egg
3 TBS Chambord, Raspberry Liqueur.


Icing:
1 C Confectioner's Sugar
4 TBS Cocoa Powder
2 1/2 TBS Chambord


Dough Preparation.

In a Small Mixing Bowl, Sift together:
Flour
Cocoa
Baking Soda
Whisk well.

In a Medium Mixing Bowl, with a hand Mixer:
Butter
Sugar
Beat until creamy and completely combined for 2 minutes.

Add:
Egg
Beat for an additional minute.

Add:
Dry Ingredients
Mix well to combine.

Add:
Chambord
Mix until well combined.
Cover with Plastic Wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Use the Cookie Scoop and drop the cookie dough 2" apart, onto the Sheet Pan.
Press lightly with the bottom of a Stainless Steel Measuring Cup or a Drinking Glass.
Bake for 9 minutes.

Remove the Pan to a Rack to Cool 5 minutes.
Transfer the Cookies to the Rack to Cool Completely.

Prepare the Icing.

In a Small Bowl:
Confectioner's Sugar
Cocoa Powder
Chambord
Mix well with a Blending Fork.
The consistency needs to be a texture to Drizzle over the Cookie.
If it's too thick, thin with a bit more Chambord.
Just don't make it too thin or it won't set up while drying.

A variety of Icing Bottles

Transfer to an Icing Bottle ans Drizzle in a Zig Zag Design of the top of each Cookie.
Transfer to a Small Sheet Pan and Refrigerate until the Icing has been able to set.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

1664 Cookies

I've been researching Cookie Recipes with Alcohol as an addition. It's the newest category at the Dallas Morning News Holiday Cookie Contest. The Category is called Boozy.


Kronenbourg 1664:

Kronenbourg 1664 is a 5.5% Pale Lager first brewed in 1952. A small amount of the Strisselspalt hop, a French aroma hop from Alsace, is used. The main Kronenbourg 1664 brewery (where Kronenbourg also produces almost 300 other beer brands) is in Obernai, France, but the brand is also brewed in the UK by Heineken at its Manchester brewery, as well as in Australia by Coopers.


Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Sheet  Pans lined with Parchment Paper.
A 1 1/2" Cookie Scoop

24 oz. of 1664 Beer
5 TBS Honey
12 TBS Butter, room temperature.
1 1/4 C Confectioner's Sugar
1 Large Egg
1/2 tsp Vanilla
The Zest of 1 Orange
2 tsp Ciriander

2 C Flour
1/2 tsp Baking Powder

In a Saucepan on Medium Heat:
Beer
HoneyWhisk well.
Reduce bu cooking until you have 1/3 C.
Skim Foam from the top as needed.
Stop cooking when it begins to foam a lot.
Remove from Heat.
Set aside to Cool to Room Temperature.

In a Mixing Bowl with a Wooden Spoon:
Butter
Sugar
Mix until Creamy Smooth.

Add:
Egg
Mix to combine well.

Add:
Vanilla
Orange Zest
Coriander
Beer Reduction
Stir to mix well.

In a Small Bowl:
Flour
Baking Soda
Whisk well.
Slowly add to the Wet Ingredients.

Use a 1 1/2" Cookie Scoop.
Drop Dough 2 " apart onto the Sheet Pan.
Only Bake 12 at a time, space them accordingly.

Bake 15 - 20 minutes.

Remove Pan to a Rack to Cool 10 minutes.
Transfer the Cookies to the Rack to Cool Completely.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

The Pastry Queen, a collection of my favorite recipes from Rebecca Rather

One of my favorite Cookbook authors is Rebecca Rather. If I had to choose 1 Chef and their Cookbooks to live with for the rest of my life it would be hers. She has published 3 books and I love everything she bakes! She has Savory along with Sweet recipes.
I decided to post a collection of my favorites and that was not an easy task.
If you like anything you see her, I highly recommend buying her books.

I know that everyone has their favorite recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies. We believe that the Original Toll House Cookie tops the list.
However, there are also decadent recipes for them and I honestly believe this recipe could be it!

This is another recipe from Rebecca Rather, The Pastry Queen from Fredericksburg , Texas.

Rebecca says..... " They are not too chewy and not too crunchy - they are just right".
This recipe makes about 5 dozen 3 1/2" cookies.


1 1/2 C walnuts
1 1/2 C pecans
1 C (2sticks) butter, room temperature
1 C firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 C granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 TBS vanilla
2 1/3 C all purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 scant tsp salt
3 C chocolate chips (I use Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Chips)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Arrange nuts on a baking sheet in a single layer and toast for 7 - 9 minutes.
Cool completely and coarsely chop

Line sheet pans with parchment paper or Silpat
Use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment

Cream, for 1 minute, until creamy:
butter
brown sugar
granulated sugar
Add:
eggs
vanilla

Add:
eggs
vanilla
Beat on medium speed for 1 minute

Add: (See Note Below)
flour
baking soda
salt
Mix on medium-low speed until well incorporated.

Stir in, by hand:
walnuts
pecans
chocolate chips
The dough will be very stiff...... use your muscles!

Use a 1 3/4" cookie scoop, spacing the dough 2" apart on a baking sheet.
Bake for 10 - 12 minutes until medium brown around the edges.
As long as the edges are brown, the soft middle will disappear as they cool
The cookies will spread to about 3 1/2".

Cool on the sheet pan for 10 minutes and then transfer to a cooking rack until completely cool.

Note:
Here's Rebecca's Tip,
If you have a heavy duty stand mixer with at least 525 watts, Add the flour, baking soda, salt, walnuts, pecans and chocolate chips all at once with the paddle attachment and turn the mixer on and off every 5 seconds or so until completely incorporated.

We have the Kitchenaid 6 quart, 590 Watt Mixer. It does all the work!

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!



Tropical Carrot Cake from The Pastry Queen by Rebecca Rather.
I've adapted the recipe without changing the integrity of the original one.

I've added photographs of the one that I made.

This is the only Carrot Cake I make. I believe it's the best I have ever tasted.  I hope you take some time to try this recipe if you love Carrot Cake.

This is the best Carrot Cake we have ever eaten.
Rebecca is the daughter of Dan Rather and had a Restaurant in Fredericksburg, Texas called The Pink Pig.
Since posting this Blog, the restaurant has closed.

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
3 - 9" Cake Pans brushed well with Pan Release Mix. (equal parts of Crisco, Vegetable Oil and Flour) I start with 1 C of each mixed well and refrigerated in a jar. I always have it available for all of my baking needs.


Cake:

1 C Macadamia Nuts
3 C Flour
3 C granulated Sugar
1 TBS Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt
1 TBS Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
1 1/2 C Sweetened Flaked Coconut
4 Large Eggs
2 TBS Vanilla
1 1/2 C Vegetable Oil
1 1/2 C Shredded peeled Carrots
1 1/2 C Crushed Pineapple, drained.
1/2 C Sweetened Cream of Coconut ( Coco Lopez)

Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting:

3 (8oz.) packages of Cream Cheese, room temperature
1/2 C Confectioner's Sugar
1/4 C Heavy Cream
1/4 C Coco Lopez
1/2 tsp Salt


Arrange the Nuts on a sheet pan and roast them for 7 - 8 minutes.
Set aside until they're cool enough to chop.

Place one oven rack 1/3 from the bottom of the oven and the second one 2/3 from the bottom.

In a large mixing bowl:
Flour
Sugar
Baking Soda
Salt
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Coconut
Chopped Nuts
Whisk well.

In a medium mixing bowl:
Eggs
Vanilla
Oil
Carrots
Pineapple
Cream of Coconut
Whisk well.

Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to combine well. Do not over mix.

Pour the batter equally among the 3 cake pans.
Stagger the pans in the oven so that they're not directly over each other.
Place 2 pans on 1 rack and the third pan on the other rack.

Bake for 30 - 35 minutes.
A toothpick in the center should come out clean and the tops should be golden brown.

Remove the pans to a rack and cool for 10 minutes.
Invert the cakes onto Parchment Paper lined racks to cool completely.

Prepare the Frosting.

In a Stand Mixer with a Paddle Attachment on medium high speed:
Cream Cheese
Confectioner's Sugar
Beat for 1 -3 minutes.

Add:
Heavy Cream
Cream of Coconut
Salt
Beat just to combine.

Place 1 layer of cake on a serving platter.
Spread with a thick layer of frosting.
Add the second layer of cake.
Spread with a thick layer of frosting.
Add the third layer and frost the top and sides of the cake with an even layer of frosting.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Some of the best Homemade Corn Muffins I have ever made.

Corn Muffins

3/4 C (1 1/2 sticks) butter, melted
3 C heavy cream
3 large eggs
3 1/2 C all purpose flour
1 1/2 C coarse cornmeal plus extra for topping
1 C sugar
2 TBS baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 C corn kernels, fresh, frozen(thawed) or canned(drained).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Generously grease or spray 24 standard muffin cups or line them with muffin liners.

In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, pour in the butter, cream, eggs into the bowl of the mixer.
Add flour, cornmeal sugar baking powder and salt on top.

Mix at medium speed just until the ingredients are combined and not lumpy.
Stir the corn into the batter.

Use a cookie scoop and fill the muffin cups 2/3's full of batter.
Sprinkle the tops with cornmeal.

Bake for 12 - 15 minutes, until lightly brown. They should spring back when you touch the tops lightly with your fingertips.
Serve warm


Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!



Beer Bread

Here's what Rebecca said about this recipe:
"Around here, beer bread recipes are as common as cowboy hats."

She is so right, "it's a Texas thing"!
"Beer Bread lends itself to numerous mix-ins, including chopped chives, chopped jalapenos, green onions or any grated cheese." Fold into the batter by hand.

3 C all purpose flour
1 TBS baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 TBS sugar
1 (12oz.) bottle of "good" beer. (we use Shiner Bock, from Texas)
1/2 C (1 stick) butter, melted

Option: Add 2 1/2 C grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Generously grease a 9"X5" loaf pan with butter or cooking spray.

Medium bowl:
flour
baking powder
salt
sugar
Whisk well
(At this point you would stir in the cheese)

Pour in beer and stir until incorporated, do not over beat.
Pour half the melted butter into the pan.
Spoon in the batter.
Pour the remaining butter on top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50 - 60 minutes.
The top will be bumpy and golden brown.

Remove from pan and serve immediately.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!