Chocolate, Peanut Butter, and Banana Pie from Food 52

I was accepted to test, make and critique a recipe that is a contender for one of Food 52's contests. They choose finalists that have submitted recipes for whatever the theme of the contest is. I believe this one is your Best Family Recipe. They send out a list of recipes that are finalists, they ask for 3 testers for each recipe. You submit a request to be a tester and if you get in on time, you can be chosen. The tester makes the recipe and sends in a critique.
We're asked to create a catchy headliner that may get our critique published on their page along with the winner, and their recipe. I chose this pie recipe to test and was one of the 3 accepted. I've tried in the past and have not gotten in soon enough to be a tester. This recipe was submitted by Jason.  The winning recipes are posted on their blog.

Here's my critique:


Elvis Would Love this Recipe!

This recipe is an easy, delicious combination of chocolate, peanut butter
and bananas, topped with home made whipped cream and mini chocolate chips.
I followed the exact ingredients and directions without any issues.
The pudding is great. It's thick, very tasty and dense. The pie holds together well  
and it looks appealing when served. The banana flavor is just right. 
I can see how this recipe would be a family favorite. I've added the recipe to my
personal "Best of the Best" recipe file.
Indulge yourself today, make this pie! Chocolate, Peanut Butter and Banana Pie:


Graham Cracker Crust:

1/3 C butter, melted
1 1/2 C graham cracker crumbs
1/4 C granulated sugar
3 bananas (preferably slightly green)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a small saucepan or microwave, melt butter.
In a medium bowl, combine graham crackers, sugar and butter, mixing until combined.

Press into a 9" pie pan. Spread crumb mixture evenly on bottom and sides.
Bake at 8 - 10 minutes, until golden brown.
Cool completely then slice the bananas in penny rounds and spread evenly on bottom of crust.

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Pudding:

1/4 C cornstarch
3/4 C granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 C milk
2 TBS butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 C creamy peanut butter
10 ounces fine milk chocolate, chopped evenly in small pieces (you can also use mini chocolate chips)

In a saucepan, whisk together cornstarch, sugar, eggs, milk, butter and vanilla.
Cook over medium heat until mixture boils, then whisk constantly for an additional two minutes, until pudding is thick.
Add chocolate and peanut butter, stir until everything is melted and thoroughly combined.
Pour into pie shell, making sure to cover all the banana slices.

Refrigerate until set, about 4 hours.

Before serving, cover the pie with home made whipping topping and decorate with chocolate curls or mini chocolate chips.

Update:, 1/16/14....... my critique was posted with the recipe on the Food52 blog. I was pleased. Jason's recipe did not win..... but it should have!
I sent it to work with my wife and her coworkers raved about it. It's a keeper!

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Home Made Hot Chocolate Mix

This recipe is from a newspaper clipping in the 70's. My wife has had it since then and she adapted it. I've never known a time when we haven't had a container of it in our Pantry. It's a Winter Staple at our house.
Here's a photograph of the original recipe and my wife's note as she figured out the taste that she wanted.

Here's my wife's version:
1 pound of Powdered Sugar
1 - 30oz. box of Nestle's Quick
12 ounces of a non dairy creamer
1/2 of an 8 quart box of Instant Milk

Combine all ingredients well.
To serve, add 1/2 C of the mixture to a mug and add boiling water.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

An interesting dinner tonight! Cauliflower cooked in a Pressure Cooker!

We went to our local amazing  Central Market Store today and Anne said the cauliflower was the biggest and best looking she had ever seen. As a child growing up on a Mennonite Farm in the middle of Kansas, her mother cooked all day long. From morning, (before all of the kids awoke) until evening, (when all of them were in bed),  she was in the kitchen.
She cooked a lot of things in a pressure cooker. Anne said that her memories of the pressure cooker was her mother asking her to keep an eye on it. On the other hand, my mother told us to get out of the kitchen incase the pressure cooker exploded.
Since childhood, I have had a fear of them. Anne cooks a lot using a pressure cooker.
Tonight we had an unusual meal. It was simply a giant head of cauliflower cooked in a pressure for just a couple of minutes and then we decided to top it with Ree Drummond's Christmas Queso. It was delicious. It was our version of Texas Cauliflower. I imagine the French would make a great white sauce for it. We have fond memories of our friend in the South of France cooking in a pressure cooker.
Artichokes are incredible in them.
That was our entire dinner and it was amazing!

The next time we make this, I'll take a few pictures and post them on the blog.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Un-Fried Chicken from Trisha Yearwood plus the Vegetarian version!

Maybe it's because we're starting a New Year and it's healthier, maybe it's because we like Fried Chicken, maybe it's just because I find this recipe something I can make "Vegetarian" that drew me to it. So here's Trisha Yearwood's Un-Fried Chicken.
I use Quorn Naked Chik'n Cutlets to make it Vegetarian.



1 C buttermilk
1 TBS hot sauce, such as Louisiana Hot Sauce
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half (Vegetarian Quorn Chik'n Cutlets) I prick the cutlets with a fork to soak up some of the buttermilk.
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 1/2 C multi-grain panko breadcrumbs
3 TBS grated Parmesan
1 lemon, quartered, plus 1 TBS lemon zest
1 tsp red pepper flakes
Directions
Combine the buttermilk and hot sauce in a shallow bowl. Season the chicken with salt and black pepper and submerge in the buttermilk mixture.

Combine the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, lemon zest, red pepper flakes and a pinch each of salt and black pepper in a shallow dish. Remove the chicken from the buttermilk mixture, letting the excess drip off, and dredge in the breadcrumb mixture until evenly coated. Lay the pieces flat on a nonstick baking sheet and refrigerate, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake the chicken until just cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Divide the chicken among 4 plates and squeeze the lemon over the chicken.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Apple Coffee Cake

This is such a classic coffee cake recipe. I hesitated to post it. Sometimes I take it for granted that anyone who loves to bake has these classic recipes.
This is a great Sunday Brunch or Church Breakfast recipe.

Apple Coffee Cake:

Here's what you'll need:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Grease a 9"X 9" pan with my Pan Release Mix (equal amounts 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.

1/2 C butter, softened
1 C sugar
2 eggs
2 C flour, sifted
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 C sour cream
1 tsp almond extract
4 large baking apples, peel, core. slice

Topping:
1/2 C brown sugar
1/4 C granulated sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 C chopped pecans
Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.

Batter:
butter
sugar
eggs
Cream until smooth

Add:
flour
baking soda
baking powder
salt
sour cream
almond extract

Pour half the batter in the pan
Top with half of the apples
Sprinkle with half the topping
Pour in remaining batter
Top with remaining apples
Sprinkle with remaining topping

Bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick comes out clean in the center.
Cool completely.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Poblano and Chorizo, (Soyrizo version too) Queso Fundido

This recipe has been adapted from a Country Living recipe.
I have another recipe for Queso Fundido on the blog.
We eat alot of Queso Fundido in Texas. It's served in most Tex - Mex Restaurants.
It's a hearty alternative to a simple Queso recipe.
I had Queso Fundido for the first time on a Scuba Diving Trip in Mexico.
I was hooked.
When I became a vegetarian, I discovered that I could replicate the same taste and texture with Soyrizo.

2 poblano peppers
1/2 pound Chorizo Sausage, remove casing ( Soyrizo for vegetarian version)
1 TBS olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
1/4 C flour
1 C good beer (I use Shiner Bock from Texas)
2 1/2 C grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
2 1/2 C grated Monterey Jack Cheese
1 C grated Queso Quesadilla Cheese
2 TBS chopped cilantro
Tortilla Chips

1. Roast peppers directly under broiler or over an open flame, until blistered and blackened on all sides, about 6 to 8 minutes. Put the peppers in a large bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let sit for 15 minutes to steam. When the peppers are cool enough to handle, use a paring knife and remove the skin. Cut off the stems and remove the seeds. Chop them into 1/2-inch pieces and set aside.
2. In a large pot over medium heat, cook chorizo,( use a little vegetable oil for the Soyrizo) breaking it up as it cooks, about 6 minutes. Transfer the chorizo to a paper-towel-lined plate and set aside. In same pot, add oil, onion, and garlic and cook over medium-low heat until onion is translucent about 5 to 7 minutes. Add tomatoes and reserved peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until some of the liquid has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle flour over tomato mixture and cook, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes. Stir in the beer and increase the heat to medium-high, stir occasionally until the mixture reaches a boil.
3. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in all of the cheese, 1 cup at a time, until mixture is smooth. Transfer to a small fondue pot, or slow cooker set on low. Sprinkle with reserved chorizo and cilantro. Serve with tortilla chips.

Enjoy!

Peace in the Kitchen!

Green Chile and Potato Chowder

During Winter I make a lot of soup. Here's a great Texas Chowder.

Green Chile and Potato Chowder

2 jalapenos
4 poblano peppers
1 TBS butter
1 onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 C chopped cilantro
2 pounds of potatoes, peeled, diced
4 C vegetarian chicken broth, chicken broth or vegetable broth
1/2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 C whole milk
1 C heavy cream
juice of 1 lime
salt and pepper to taste
Shredded Cheddar Cheese for garnish

Roast poblanos and jalapenos under a broiler for about 5 minutes on each side or until completely blackened.
Remove the jalapenos first, they will blacken sooner that the poblanos.
Place the  poblano peppers in a paper bag, or ziplock bag to steam for about 15 minutes.
Remove the stems from the jalapenos and dice them
After 15 minutes, remove the poblanos and rub the skin off.
Remove the stems and seeds dice them.

In a large pot on medium heat, melt the butter.
Add onions and saute for 10 minutes.
Add garlic for another minute.

Add to the pot:
chiles
potatoes
broth
cilantro
cumin
salt
pepper
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender.

Reserve 2 C of the soup and set aside
Puree the remaining soup until smooth
Add the reserved 2 cups to the puree

Add:
milk
heavy cream
heat until warm

Squeeze in lime juice
Stir well

Top with shredded Cheddar Cheese and serve.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!