The Best of the Best Gingerbread!

I love Gingerbread. I like a dark and very tasty Gingerbread. It reminds me of a Charles Dickens Christmas.  I have many recipes for it. I'm always in search of the Best of the Best Gingerbread. That's a title that I use when I find a recipe that is better than any other in it's category, (The Best of the Best)

Candied Ginger

I use this whenever a recipe calls for Molasses.
There's also Lyle's Golden Syrup
that I use whenever a recipe calls for Corn Syrup.

My favorite Springform Pan
from The Pampered Chef.

Here's my choice for The Best of the Best Gingerbread.

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
1 - 9" Springform Pan, sprayed with a vegetable cooking spray. (my favorite is the Pampered Chef Pan with a Tempered Glass Bottom)

Chopped Candied Ginger for Garnish. (it's baked on top of the batter)

1 C Dark Molasses or British Treacle.
1/2 C Boiling Water
5 TBS Butter
1/2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Ground Ginger
1 tsp Baking Soda
2 C Flour

In a Large Mixing Bowl:
Molasses

Add:
Boiling Water
Butter
Stir until well combined with a Wooden Spoon.

Add:
Salt
Ginger
Baking Soda
Stir just until combined, don't over mix.

Add:
Flour
Continue stirring by hand with a Wooden Spoon.

Spoon the Batter into the Pan.
Top it with the Chopped Candied Ginger.

Bake for 25 - 35 minutes.
The top should spring back when lightly tapped and it should pull away from the pan.
When I made it, 30 minutes was enough.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Vegetarian Sausage and Spinach Stuffed Bread Roll

We had this for Lunch this Week. It's so delicious that I decided to share it. It was great for Lunch but I would also serve it for Breakfast or Dinner. It can certainly be customized for personal taste by adding or eliminating ingredients. I added a NOTE with a variety of Options.
Even though I make it with a Vegetarian, Meatless Sausage, you can certainly use your own choice of Sausage.

I also use this to make Breakfast Sausage Patties.

Vegetarian Stuffed Bread Roll

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
A Sheet Pan lined with Parchment Paper.


1 - (1 Pound Loaf) of Frozen Bread Dough, thawed.
2 TBS Olive Oil (Omit if using real Sausage)
1 Package of Gimme Lean Vegetarian Sausage
1/2 C Chopped Onion
1 - Box of Frozen Spinach, thawed and squeezed dry. (Separate into Pieces)
6 oz. of Shredded Swiss or Cheddar Cheese
1/4 C Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 TBS Chopped Fresh Parsley
2 Eggs, (1 separated)

NOTE:
Options:
1/4 C Diced Red Bell Pepper, or a combination of Red and Green. (Added to the Skillet to Sauté)
1 - Can of Sliced Mushrooms, drained and diced. (Added to the Skillet to Sauté)
I could also see the addition of Scrambled Eggs Sprinkled over the top of the Sausage Mix
just prior to Rolling the Dough.
And, as a Texan, I serve it accompanied with a Side of Salsa. (Homemade or Pace Chunky Salsa)
Sauce.


In a Large Skillet on Medium High Heat:
Oil, until hot.

Add:
Sausage
Onion
Sauté for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat.
Set aside to Cool completely.

In a Large Mixing Bowl:
Sausage Mixture
Spinach
Shredded Cheese
Parmesan Cheese
One Whole Egg and the Yolk from the Second Egg
Stir to Mix well.


On a Flat, lightly Floured Surface:
Roll out the Dough into an 11" X 17" Rectangle.
Spread the Filling over the Dough, leaving a 1/2" Border on all 4 side.

Roll the Dough tightly to form a Log. (Tuck in the Dough at each end.

Beat the remaining Egg White with 1 TBS of Water.
Brush the Dough.
Transfer the Roll to the Sheet Pan.
Bake for 45 minutes, until Golden Brown.

Transfer to a Cutting Board.
Slice and Serve Hot.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen.

The World's Greatest Cheese Dip.......... comes from Arkansas!

I was quite surprised to discover this bit of Food History:

Cheese Dip, as we know it today, was introduced to the world and restaurant menus in 1935 by
Blackie Donnelly, a Central Arkansas restaurateur and owner of Mexico Chiquito. In 2009, a local attorney and filmmaker Nick Rogers researched the history of Cheese Dip in Arkansas and why it's so beloved, and it all led back to Donnelly.

The World's Greatest Cheese Dip

Here's what you'll need:
A Saucepan
A Large Double Boiler
Tortilla Chips to serve.


I did not list the ingredients separately at the beginning of this recipe. They're added as needed.
Read the entire recipe carefully to have all ingredients available.

In a Saucepan on Medium High Heat:
8 TBS Butter
Heat until Melted.

Add:
4 TBS Flour
Whisk well to create a Roux or Paste.

In a Small Mixing Bowl:
1 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Chili Powder
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Tabasco  Sauce
1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/2 tsp Ground Mustard
1 Fresh Jalapeño, Diced.
1 Clove of Garlic, Minced.
1 TBS Ketchup
1 Pinch of Salt
Whisk well.
Add this mixture to the Saucepan.
Whisk well.
Reduce Heat to Low.

Continue cooking for 2 minutes.

Add:
2 C Whole Milk
Whisk well.
Transfer to a Large Double Boiler.
Continue cooking but don't allow to Boil.

Add:
1/2 Pound of American Cheese Slices, 1 - 2 slices at a time until each addition
melts completely.
Whisking constantly.

Serve with Tortilla Chips.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Muffin Tin Mince Meat Pies .......... "easy as pie"!

I recently saw this recipe from BBC Good Food.
I love Mincemeat!
I'm making these for Christmas.

This recipe is incredible easy.
I buy Vegetarian Mincemeat from a local shop, The British Emporium.
I'll include my recipe for Homemade Vegetarian Mincemeat at the end of the recipe.

I'm posting a series of photographs to show the process.

We bought this Confectioner's Sugar Shaker at
The Café du Monde in New Orleans, Louisiana.
It's the perfect way to Dust the Tops of the Pies.

Here's what you need:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
1 - 12 C Muffin Tin
Butter for greasing the Pan.
Homemade Pie Crust.
Vegetarian Mincemeat.
Confectioner's Sugar for Dusting.

They Bake for 20 - 25 minutes, or until the tops are Golden Brown.

It doesn't get much easier than this.
I love the process of placing the dough over the top of the Muffin Tin and then trimming it so you don't have to cut out circles and transfer them to the Pan. It also makes it easy to fold in the corners to create the top crust.

Roll the Dough the size of the Muffin Pan, on a Sheet of
Parchment Paper.

Place the Pan on top of the Dough and trim it to the size of the Muffin Tin.

The Pan is flipped over and the Sheet of Dough is on the top.
Peel back the Paper.

The Dough is trimmed following the divisions on the top
of the Muffin Tin.

We tucked the dough using a Muddler.

This is our favorite Vegetarian Mincemeat from
our British Emporium in town.

Ready for the Oven.

Out of the oven and ready to cool completely before
they're dusted with Confectioner's Sugar.

Cooled on a wooden rack.

Dusted and ready for a Serving Platter.

Terry's Homemade Vegetarian Mincemeat:

I know it's not for everyone but I happen to love Mincemeat and because I'm Vegetarian, I love this recipe. It's such an iconic recipe for Christmas. I serve it as a compote and I also use it to fill cookies.
If you love the idea of Vegetarian Mincemeat, without the Suet, this recipe is perfect. It makes the perfect Christmas Gift to share with Friends and Family.
Simply fill Canning Jars and tie some decorative Christmas Fabric over the lid, with Twine or Raffia.

Vegetarian Mincemeat:

4 TBS Butter
1 C Unsweetened Apple Juice
2 Large Apples, peeled, cored and grated. (I use Jonagold).
1.2 C Dark Raisins
1/2 C Golden Raisins
1/2 C Dried Currents
1/2 C Dried Cranberries
1/2 C chopped Dried Figs
3/4 C Candied Mixed Peel
1/2 C chopped Candied Red Cherries
Zest and Juice of 1 Orange
2/3 C packed Brown Sugar
1/3 C Dark Rum + an additional 4 TBS to add at the end of cooking.
1/3 C Brandy + an additional 4 TBS to add at the end of cooking.
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground Ginger
1/4 tsp ground Cloves
1/4 tsp Salt


Place all ingredients in a large Dutch Oven and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer , stirring often for 30 minutes. Some of the liquid should begin to evaporate.
Remove from heat and fold in an additional Rum and Brandy.
Allow to cool completely in the Dutch Oven off the heat.
Transfer to a covered container and refrigerate overnight.
It will keep, refrigerated, for months.

Enjoy!
Mincemeat Pies for Christmas!

Peppermint Cheesecake

I have never been fond of Peppermint. I really don't eat anything that tastes like Peppermint.
I know that many do.
However, when I saw this recipe, it looked very tempting and I knew I had to post it on my Blog.
It looks delicious and I'm sure it is.
So........ whether you love Peppermint, or not, I think you should try this!
I will!

Rather that re write the recipe, I'm simply posting the link.
Since I'm posting the link, I can post a photograph of it.
It looks amazing.

http://cincyshopper.com/no-bake-peppermint-cheesecake/

Enjoy!
Peppermint for Christmas!

Raclette, a new individual way of preparing it.

Raclette:

It's been around since Medieval Times in the Mountainous Regions of Switzerland and France.

Raclette is a dish indigenous to parts of Switzerland. The Raclette Cheese Round is heated, either in front of a Fire or by a Special Machine, then scraped onto Diners' Plates; the term Raclette derives from the French word racler, meaning "to scrape", a reference to the fact that the melted cheese must be scraped from the unmelted part of the Cheese onto the Plate.

Traditionally the melting happens in front of an open fire with the big piece of Cheese facing the heat. One then regularly scrapes off the melting side. It is accompanied by small firm Potatoes, Gherkin Pickles (French Cornichons),  Meat, such as thin slices of Ham or Prosciutto and Pearl Onions.

A modern way of serving Raclette involves an Electric Table-Top Grill with small pans, known as Coupelles, in which to melt slices of Raclette Cheese. Generally the Grill is surmounted by a Hot Plate or Griddle. The Cheese is brought to the table sliced, accompanied by platters of boiled or steamed Potatoes, other Vegetables and Charcuterie. These are then mixed with Potatoes and topped with Cheese in the small, wedge-shaped Coupelles that are placed under the Grill to melt and brown the Cheese. Alternatively, Slices of Cheese may be melted and simply poured over food on the plate. The emphasis in Raclette dining is on relaxed and sociable Eating and Drinking, the meal often running to several hours. French and other European Supermarkets generally stock both the Grill Apparatus and ready-sliced Cheese and Charcuterie selections, especially around Christmas. Restaurants also provide Raclette evenings for parties of diners.

We first experienced Raclette in France with our friends. We returned home and bought a Raclette Grill. We've also had some of our best Raclette in Borough Market, London.

The following photographs are from London's Borough Market. It's one of our favorite places to visit in London.

It's a very social event to share Raclette.

This version is quite different. It make individual servings. We make this when it's just the two of us and not a group of friends of family.

Boil Whole Potatoes.
Slice off the top.
Hollow out the potato.
Filled with French Fry sized pieces of Raclette Cheese and a few Pearl Onions.
Wrap the exterior with Bacon. (I use a vegetarian bacon that's been brushed with some Olive Oil for mine)
Stand them up in a Roasting Pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 - 30 minutes.
Transfer to a serving Platter.

Serve Garnished with Sliced Cornichons and Pearl Onions.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Camembert Baked in Puff Pastry

Here's a great appetizer for the Holidays.

Place the bottom half of Camembert Cheese onto the Circle of Pastry.
Top it with Cranberry Sauce and Pecans.

Add the Top Round of Cheese.

Begin by cutting into fourths.

Make 4 additional cuts.

Trim the edges with a drinking glass or small glass bowl.

Start folding the Petals over the Cheese
and brush with the Egg wash.

Continue folding and brushing each Petal.

Sprinkle lightly with Sea Salt.

Camembert Baked in Puff Pastry

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
A Sheet Pan lined with Parchment Paper.

1 Round of Camembert Cheese
2 TBS Whole Cranberry Sauce
2 TBS Chopped Pecans
1 Large Circle of Puff Pastry
1 Large Egg beaten
Flaked Sea Salt

Slice the Cheese  through the center into two Rounds.
Put the bottom half on in the center of the Puff Pastry.
Spoon the Cranberries and Pecans on top.
Top it with the other half of the Cheese.

From the outer edge of the Cheese Round, slice the Pastry into quarters and then into eighths.
Place a round glass at the ends of each section of the Pastry and trim to make them round.

Begin folding one flap over the Cheese and Brush with Egg Wash.
Continue folding all of the flaps and brushing with Egg.
Sprinkle lightly with Sea Salt.
Bake 30 minutes, until Golden Brown.

Transfer to a Serving Patter and garnish the top with additional Cranberry Sauce and Pecans.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!