Oh my, if I knew I could of used Baileys to make French Toast I would have done it a long time ago. I’m going to have to look up more Baileys recipes. Don’t worry, I’ll share. Yields 10-15 slices Total Time: about 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1 loaf sourdough bread
3 large eggs, whisked
1/4 cup Baileys
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 oz dark chocolate
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 teaspoons Baileys
1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1-2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Directions:
Slice bread to desired thickness. Crack eggs into a 9x9” pan and whisk. Add in the Baileys, vanilla and cinnamon, stir to combine. Place slices of bread into pan and soak each side. In a skillet on medium/high heat lightly spray with a cooking spray lightly brown on each side, about a minute or so each. Set aside on a plate and repeat until all slices are done.
While cooking the French toast melt the chocolate in a glass bowl in the microwave with the 2 tablespoons of cream for 45-60 seconds. Then whisk in the 1 1/2 teaspoons of Baileys. Prepare the whipping cream by add the 1 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream and the powdered sugar in a bowl, beat on high with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Set in refrigerator until ready for use.
Serve the French Toast with the melted chocolate, whipped cream and like this picture from Allrecipes with fruit. Yum Yum!
Another dessert that is different from the typical pecan, pumpkin or apple pie that is served every Thanksgiving or Christmas over and over again. You need to make this Chocolate Macadamia Pie! Get out of the typical ordinary pie rut and give your family and friends something new and chocolate this year. Yeah! Serves 8
Ingredients:
Filling:
4 large eggs
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons coffee flavored liqueur
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 jar (7oz) macadamia nuts, chopped
1 cup semisweet-chocolate pieces
9” unbaked pie crust
Coffee Cream:
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons coffee flavored liqueur
1/4 cup semisweet- chocolate pieces
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425F. Make filling: in a bowl mix eggs, sugar, syrup, butter, liqueur and vanilla. Stir in nuts and 1 cup chocolate pieces. Pour into crust; bake 10 minutes. Reduce oven to 350F; bake 35 minutes longer or until filling is set. (If edges of crust brown quickly, cover loosely with foil). Cool, refrigerate until cold.
Make coffee cream: in a small bowl of a stand mixer at high speed beat the cream, sugar and liqueur until stiff peaks form. Spoon half of mixture over center of pie. Melt the 1/4 cup chocolate and drizzle over pie. Serve with other half of cream. Yum Yum!
This Pavlova Cake is definitely one for the holidays. So festive your guest will glad you took the 3+ hours to make it. Cooks Illustrated switched the typical French meringue for Swiss meringue which is made by dissolving sugar in the egg whites as they are heated over a simmering water bath and then whipped to stiff peaks.
Cornstarch and vinegar produce a meringue that is marshmallowy within, with a slight chewy edge: generous amount of sugar ensure a crisp exterior.
Remember to let the finished meringue cool and sit for a few minutes to an hour before serving to help soften the crust for neater slices. Serves 10
Ingredients:
Meringue
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup egg whites (5-7 large eggs)
1 1/2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping
1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
6 oz frozen cranberries
5 navel oranges, peeled into slices
1/3 cup chopped fresh mint + 10 small leaves, divided
Whipped Cream
2 cups heavy cream, chilled
2 tablespoons sugar
Directions:
Note: Because eggs can vary in size, measuring the egg whites by weight or volume is essential to ensure that you are working with the correct ratio of egg whites to sugar.
Open the oven door as infrequently as possible while the meringue is inside. Do not worry if it cracks. The inside will remain soft.
Meringue: adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 250F. Using a pencil, draw 10” circle in center of 18”x13” piece of parchment paper.
Combine sugar and egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer; place bowl over saucepan filled with 1” simmering water (make sure water does not touch bottom of bowl). Whisk gently but constantly, heat until sugar is dissolved and mixture measures 160 to 165 degrees, 5-8 minutes.
Fit the stand mixer with the whisk attachment and whip mixture on high speed until meringue forms stiff peaks, is smooth and creamy and bright white with a sheen, about 4 minutes (bowl maybe slightly warm to touch). Stop mixer and scrap down bowl with spatula. Add vinegar, cornstarch and vanilla and whip on high speed until combined, about 10 seconds.
Spoon about 1/4 teaspoon meringue into each corner of a rimmed baking sheet. Press parchment paper, marked side down, onto baking sheet to secure. Pile meringue in center of circle on the parchment paper, using the circle as a guide. Spread and smooth meringue with back of spoon or spatula from center outward building a 10” disk that is slightly higher around edges. Finished disk should measure 1” high with a 1/4” depression in the center.
Bake meringue until it’s dry and crisp and meringue releases cleanly from parchment paper when gently lifted at edge with a thin metal spatula, 1-1 1/2 hours. Meringue should end up quite pale. Turn off oven a prop door open with a wooden spoon and let the meringue cool in the oven 1 1/2 hours. Remove and let cool out of oven for 15 minutes before you put on toppings.
Topping: bring 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup water to boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Off heat stir in cranberries then let cool for 30 minutes. Place remaining sugar in a shallow dish. Drain cranberries and discard syrup. Working in two batches roll 1/2 cup of cranberries in sugar and transfer to a plate or tray. Let stand at room temperature to dry, about an hour. Cut away peel and pith from oranges. Cut each orange into quarters from pole to pole, then cut crosswise into 1/4” pieces, ending up with 3 cups total.
Whipping Cream: before serving toss oranges with nonsugared cranberries and chopped mint in bowl until combined. Whip cream and sugar in a chilled bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on low speed until smal bubbles form, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium and whip until whisk leaves a trail, 30 seconds. Increase speed to high and continue to whip until cream becomes smooth, thick and doubles in size, about 20 seconds longer for soft peaks.
To Serve: carefully peel meringue away from parchment paper and place on a large platter. Spoon whipped cream into the center of meringue. Using a slotted spoon, spoon topping in an even layer over whipped cream. Garnish with sugared cranberries and mint leaves. Let stand for at least 5 minutes to 1 hour before slicing. Once sliced drizzle any juice from the orange, nonsugared cranberries and mint bowl. Yum Yum!
According to bon appetit, when your family and friends try this Toasted Pecan Torte with Butterscotch Topping they won’t know if it is a cross between a pecan pie, sticky toffee pudding and a butterscotch sundae.
Serves 8
Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, divided, plus more for greasing pan
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
5 cups pecan halves
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
1 large egg, room temperature
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
4 tablespoons rum, divided
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 1/2 cups chilled heavy cream, divided
Directions:
Place the rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350F. Butter and flour a 9” diameter springform pan. Toast pecans on a baking sheet, tossing once until slightly darkened in color and fragrant, 12-15 minutes. Let cool.
In a food processor add in the baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 1/2 cups flour and 3 cups pecans, pulse until nuts are finely ground. Using an electric mixer on medium high speed, beat sugar, orange zest and 3/4 cup butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add egg and egg yolk to bowl. Beat until combined and mixture is even fluffier, about a minute. Beat in 3 tablespoons rum, stop mixer and add in the dry ingredients. Mix on low until combined then fold a few times with a rubber spatula scrapping the bottom and the sides of the bowl, to ensure batter is evenly mixed. Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth top.
Bake torte until golden brown and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 45-50 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let torte cool in pan.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan on med/high heat bring the brown sugar, 1/2 cup cream, remaining butter and remaining rum to a boil, stirring often and cook until it slightly thickens, about 3 minutes. Remove Butterscotch from heat and stir in remaining salt and remaining pecans and let sit at room temperature, stirring occasionally until it’s cool, but still pourable.
Spread topping over torte. Whisk remaining cream in a large bowl to medium peaks. Serve torte topped with dollops of whipped cream. Yum Yum!
I’m looking out my window on the first day that day light savings ends and see the sun setting at 5:30pm! And then it dawns on me that I won’t see the sun set any earlier than that until March. There are only a few things that make me happy that it is fall; the cooler weather, the colorful leaves and the fruits and vegetables that are in season.
I think this salad was originally called “The End of the Summer Salad” and for good reason. Now if you want to serve this salad for Thanksgiving you might have to use frozen or canned peaches. I know that peaches are in season in the Southern Hemisphere, what I don’t know is if we import any. Check with your local grocery store. Serves 4 Total Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
1 head of romaine lettuce, chopped
3 cups arugula
1 small lemon, juiced
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large peach, pitted and sliced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 fresh balls of burrata cheese, broken apart into bite size pieces
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup sesame seeds
Balsamic glaze, for topping
Directions:
In a medium size serving bowl add chopped lettuce and arugula, mix well. In another bowl whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, honey and salt until creamy. Pour over greens and toss. Top with sliced peaches, halved cherry tomatoes and burrata cheese pieces. Pan fry pine nuts and sesame seeds to toast, 3-5 minutes. Let cool then sprinkle on top of the salad. Drizzle on the balsamic glaze. Yum Yum!
This Cheesy Zucchini Sauté would be a different side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas. If your a zucchini lover this would make a colorful addition to your holiday table. Serves 6 Total Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup butter, cubed
3 cups coarsely shredded zucchini
2 teaspoons minced fresh basil or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup diced fresh tomato
2 tablespoons sliced ripe olives
Directions:
In a large skillet, saute onion in butter until crisp-tender. Stir in the zucchini, basil, salt and garlic powder. Cook and stir for 4-5 minutes or until zucchini is crisp-tender. Sprinkle with the cheese, tomato and olives.
Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve immediately. Yum Yum!
Thanks Taste of Home for this quick and easy recipe.
For the month of November I’m going to write about food that I’ve never had, but would like to try for Thanksgiving and Christmas. This recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens. I’ve never had Monkey Bread and after searching I found there are many different ways to make it. There’s cinnamon, pumpkin, pizza and I even found cheddar, bacon and garlic monkey bread. So it looks like once you’ve made it, you can put about anything in it or on it. Serves 16 Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Ingredients:
1/2 cup sliced almonds or chopped pecans, toasted
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 16.3 ounce pkg. refrigerated biscuits (16 total)
32 chocolate-covered caramels (such as Rolo®)
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup caramel-flavor ice cream topping
1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease a 10-inch nonstick fluted tube pan. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the almonds in bottom of pan. Combine sugar, cocoa powder and cinnamon.
With kitchen scissors, cut each biscuit into 2 pieces. Using your hands, flatten each piece into a 3-inch round of dough. Place a chocolate covered caramel, in the center of each round. Bring the edge of the dough up and around the caramel to form a ball. Pinch the edges of the dough together to seal firmly.
Dip each ball into the melted butter, then roll it in the sugar mixture. Layer coated balls in the prepared pan. Drizzle with any remaining butter; sprinkle with any remaining sugar mixture.
Stir together ice cream topping and vanilla; drizzle over rolls. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup almonds.
Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean (If needed, cover bread with foil the last 15 minutes of baking to prevent overbrowning.) Cool bread in pan for 5 minutes. Run a small rubber spatula around edge of the bread to loosen. Invert pan onto a platter; remove pan. Spoon any topping and nuts that remain in pan on bread. Cool slightly. Serve warm. Yum Yum!
