ABK Pie Roundup!

Pie.
The very best part of Thanksgiving.
Here's a roundup of pie photos and recipes from ABK.
Come back this weekend for a step-by-step tutorial on how to make The Best Apple Pie (and crust).
Ever.

Let's start with crust. You cannot make a delicious pie with store bought crust.
Here's a link to my favorite recipe for the Best Basic Flaky Pie Crust. It's the only crust recipe I  100% recommend. It's been my favorite for over thirty years. It is, hands down, the best recipe I have found for pie crust. Ok, I'll stop now.

Fresh Apple-Cranberry Pie

This is my signature pie. The one that is eaten up first every year. 

The one everyone asks- "you're making that pie, right?" 

Baked up three of these last week. Here are some pics...

Want another look? I thought so. 

That flaky crust? It's not going to happen with stuff from the grocery freezer. 

Black Bottom Banana Cream Pie

From Food and Wine Magazine in 2011. 

Vanilla custard, chocolate custard, bananas, whipped cream. 

All nestled in a home made graham cracker crust. Heaven in a pie. 

Bountiful Blueberry Pie

Make it with either fresh or frozen berries. Step by step for the lattice top.
Grant's favorite pie. 

Every. Single.Year. 

Original Toll House Pie

You haven't had this pie? Better than a chocolate chip cookie. 

'Cause it's baked in a homemade pie shell. Kid and adult favorite. 

Key Lime Pie

Another one I make every Thanksgiving. Refreshing and a nice change from the 

usual pies. Make it in a Springform pan for a crust that stands up nicely around the filling.

Emeril's Vintage Chocolate Pie

Jake requests a chocolate pie every year. This one is our favorite. The crust is made of crushed Oreos, graham crackers and the dynamic duo: butter and sugar. 

Unbelievably delicious.

Sweet Potato Pie with Ginger Pecan Crust

Another Food and Wine Magazine winner. 

This pie has an incredible meringue topping that tastes like a gigantic home made marshmallow. 

Oh my.

Southern Peanut Butter Pie with Homemade Fudge Topping

My SIL makes this pie every year. We love it. We hide pieces in the fridge before guests get to our house so we can have a piece after our pie party is over. 

I'll add a few more pies as I take photos and post recipes.
These are just a few of our favorites.
So many pies, so little time.
What's your all time favorite pie?

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Maddox Ranch Rolls

If you have lived in the Beehive State for any length of time, you've been to the Maddox in Perry, Utah. My favorite meal at Maddox is fried chicken, a Ranch Roll with honey, and a slice of fresh strawberry or peach pie with whipped cream.  I know- grease, carbs and sugar. I didn't say it was healthy.

 Maddox has been around for a looong time-

Maddox Ranch Rolls are famous in our state. They're light and fluffy. Best served warm from the oven with some honey or raspberry butter.  I wanted to recreate the Maddox roll at home, so I set out to find a recipe that baked up like the rolls at the restaurant.  After one failed attempt (the rolls tasted alright but not similar in shape),  I remembered my blogger friend, Bonnie, at City Home Country Home posted a recipe for Maddox Ranch Rolls a while back. I gave it a try last Sunday. Jackpot. This is it. The same roll I've scarfed in my car while driving back from trips to Logan. 

If you want to attempt making rolls for Thanksgiving, but are looking for an alternative to traditional shaped rolls, this is the recipe for you.  No rolling or cutting out. Just mix, raise and plop into muffin tins. 

Thanksgiving. It's coming. 

Maddox Ranch Rolls

Adapted from Bonnie at City Home, Country Home

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To insure success, read all of the tips below the recipe before starting the process of making rolls

2 cups whole milk ( I used 1/3 cup of powdered milk and 2 cups lukewarm water)
1/2 cup butter, cut into chunks
1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup of warm water

1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon yeast
3 large eggs, beaten

1 1/2 teaspoons salt
5 1/2 - 6 1/4 cups flour

Warm milk in microwave for 2 minutes. Place butter in milk and let melt. Add sugar and mix with whisk or fork to dissolve. Set aside and let cool a bit. The butter will continue to melt as the milk cools.
Pour 1/2 cup of warm water into a large bowl, sprinkle yeast over top of water, sprinkle about 1 teaspoon sugar on top of yeast. Let sit for a few minutes until yeast bubbles.
Pour the the cooled milk, (the milk should be warm- not hot), butter and sugar into the yeast mixture (never add a hot liquid to yeast).  Add beaten eggs and salt to yeast mixture. Mix in flour  with a large spoon one a cup at a time, just until blended and no lumps of flour remain. Do not over-mix. 

Let the dough raise until doubled, about 45 minutes in a warm kitchen.

Spoon or scoop dough (grease the scoop for easier handling) into greased muffin tins and let the dough  raise again for about 30-45 minutes. 

Place rack in middle of oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown.

Loosen rolls by running a table knife around the edge of muffin cup.
Yields about 30 dinner-size rolls.

Tips, aka Si's epistle on Maddox Ranch Rolls made at home:

-I often use powdered milk when making rolls or breads that call for milk. It's a good way to use up the dry milk I have in my food storage. I buy the dry non-fat milk at the LDS Dry Pack Cannery, and have found it mixes up best with warm or lukewarm water and a whisk.  

-Make sure to grease the muffin tins, this is a sticky dough. 

- Use a large cookie scoop to fill the muffin tin. I greased the scoop a few times with cooking spray to prevent dough from sticking to the inside of scoop. 

-The first recipe I tried for Maddox Rolls had too much liquid and not enough flour in the dough. I believe this is why the rolls tasted good, but didn't bake up into a nice dome shape. Also, after the rolls cooled a bit, they shriveled, which I believe was a result of not enough flour in the dough in relation to the liquid. I wanted a roll that looked beautiful even after cooling a bit. Not asking too much, right?  The recipe from Bonnie had two tablespoons of yeast, I reduced it to 1 tablespoon plus one teaspoon, because I wanted the dough to have a little less of a rise and hold its shape better. If you are looking for a roll that is a bit puffier, use two tablespoons of yeast. 

-Add just enough flour to take away the wet look of the dough. This should be between 5 1/2 to 6 cups of flour total. I added about 6 1/4 cups of flour total, keep in mind I live in a very dry climate. The dough should still be "scoopable".  The dough will be very soft. Do not add too much flour, or you will not be able to scoop the dough out of the bowl. When in doubt, use less, not more flour. See the photo below to see what my dough looked like during the rise in muffin pan. 

- To create the perfect place for dough to raise, I use a trick Frieda taught me in a bread making class. Place a cup of water in a microwave. Microwave on high for 1-2 minutes. Remove cup of water. Place covered bowl (I use plastic wrap) in microwave, close door and let dough raise. I have an oven with a "proof" setting, but prefer Frieda's method. This is also a great tip for making bread in a small kitchen! 

-Of course, It may be easier to just jump in the car and pick up rolls at Maddox :)

This photo was taken just before the rolls were placed in the oven. 

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Cream Biscuits

Biscuit experts say that using a sharp biscuit cutter and not twisting the cutter is one of the secrets to a perfect biscuit.  Here's my little graduated biscuit/cookie cutter set. 

  

If you've never tried a biscuit made with cream, you're in for a treat. The next time you have a bit of leftover cream in your fridge, give these a try. This biscuit has a slight crunch on the outside, and a pillowy-soft center. The cream gives them a melt-in-your-mouth quality.
Butter and jam?
Not optional.



Cream Biscuits

A Bountiful Kitchen, adapted from Diary of a Glad Housewife

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2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup shortening ( I like butter flavor shortening)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/3 to 1/2 cup cold water

Place the flour, salt and baking powder in a medium size bowl. Cut the shortening into the dry ingredients.  Stir in the heavy cream and enough water for the dough to pull together when stirring, about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of water. Let the dough rest for about 5-10 minutes.  If the dough is sticking to your hands, before cutting, sprinkle with a little flour. Turn the dough in the bowl until the dough is no longer sticky. You may need to add up to 1/4 cup of flour in this process.
Gently pat out the dough 3/4 inch thick on a floured surface. Cut the biscuits with sharp cutter, pressing straight down, not twisting the cutter.  Place the biscuits on parchment paper and bake at 425 degrees for approximately 12-15 minutes, until golden brown on top.

Serve immediately with butter and jam. 

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Baked Taco Rollups

Monday, after I posted Slow Cooker Sesame Honey Chicken on my Insta, my friend Robilyn commented  "I'll be making this tomorrow! What else can I make this week?"  Today, I dropped something off at her home, and guess what? There was a yummy smell coming from her kitchen.
The power of Insta! She had the Honey Sesame Chicken in her Slow Cooker. Love it when that happens. Also my young friend Megan made the sesame chicken and posted a pic on Insta of her dinner last night. Meg's the cutest newlywed and she's learning to cook for her new little family (Meg +Tony). So sweet.
In a world filled with fast food, and pre-made pre-packaged  everything, it's a rarity to see people (especially young peeps) cooking dinner. Here's my 2 cents:  It doesn't need to be complicated. Or take a long time. If you haven't cooked in a while (or ever), start small. Make a slow cooker meal. Or try this recipe. It's kid and hubs friendly.





















I believe this recipe was originally named "Baked Tacos" and made with hard shells. Grant is a hard shell hater (already told that story here), so I changed the recipe a bit. The filling take just a few minutes to make and the rollup part takes another 5 minutes. Lay out a little taco bar with chopped lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, salsa, guac and chips.  Let your fam pile the salad or condiments onto a plate. Serve the taco rollup on the side.  It's a fun change from an ordinary taco and if you have little ones, a taco rollup is much easier to grip. Promise they'll love it.
Now you have two dinners in your repertoire!
Watch out Martha.

Baked Taco Rollups
Adapted from Mommy I'm Hungry
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2 lbs extra lean ground beef (or ground turkey)
1 medium onion diced
1 small can diced green chilies, mild
1 recipe for homemade taco seasoning (below)
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (16 ounce) can refried beans (regular or fat free)*
2 cups shredded Colby-jack  or cheddar cheese
flour tortillas, small to medium size

Suggested Condiments-
lettuce chopped
tomatoes chopped
olives
sour cream
Sheri's Salsa
Guacamole

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
In a large skillet brown meat and onion over medium-high heat. Drain off any excess liquid. Add chilies, refried beans, tomato sauce, and taco seasoning. Mix well and cook for a few minutes until bubbly. Add a little water or tomato juice if the mixture seems dry.
Spoon  about 3 tablespoons of the taco meat mixture onto a tortilla. Sprinkle with about a tablespoon of cheese. Roll up as you would a taquito, not filling the tortilla too full, but rolling fairly tight, so the tortilla will not come undone easily.  Place filled tortillas in a single layer onto a lightly greased baking sheet, seam side down. Bake at 400 degrees for about 12-15 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the tacos are heated through.
Remove from the oven and serve with optional condiments.
Makes about 12-15 medium tacos.

Taco Seasoning
1 tablespoon chili powder**
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

In a small bowl, mix all together. If making extra seasoning, store in an airtight container.
This is enough for one recipe of taco rollups above.
**less chili powder if you are serving to those who don't like spice.

Tips:
-*I used about 3/4 of a 16 oz can of refried beans. We liked the filling with less bean and more meat.
Another option is to add a can of drained pinto beans and smash them with a potato masher into the meat after the meat is cooked. Add about 1 tablespoon of canola oil while mashing beans.
-If serving to young children (who may not eat a whole taco) or using as an appetizer, cut the tacos in half, preferably on a diagonal.
-Heat up leftovers wrapped in a paper towel for about 1 minute in microwave.

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Tessa's Mini-Melts with Poppyseed Drizzle

Almost five months have gone by since this day...

Two years is a long time! My oldest son, Stephen left home to serve an LDS mission in Puebla, Mexico on February 16, 2011 (if you've been reading ABK for a while, you'll remember this post).  He returned two years, one month and three days later. That afternoon we dashed off to the airport with ballons and signs in hand. Our immediate and extended family gathered there, along with families of other missionaries who were returning that day. So much excitement. So much joy. So glad to have him  home!
In honor of Stephen serving for two years we celebrated his return with (what else?) food. We made  lots of salads, treats and some fun little sandwiches. It was nice to have something hot with the salads that didn't require too much time in the kitchen when we wanted to enjoy spending time with our newly returned missionary. Tessa gave me this recipe after she made dinner for a large group of sorority girls at the U. She said the girls loved them, and I thought, if they're good enough for the Chi-Omega's they're good enough for us! They take just a few minutes to put together, and are perfect for parties of any sort.
Grateful to have Stephen home.
So proud of his willingness to sacrifice and share the good word of God with the sweet people of Mexico.
Two years is a long time.
Yes, it is.

Mini-Melts with Poppy Seed Drizzle

Tessa Reinemer

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3 dozen soft dinner rolls 

2 pounds deli meat (or have the deli slice up the exact amount of slices you need)*

1 pound sliced deli cheese, or approx 18 slices, cut in half

Topping

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

2 tablespoons yellow mustard

1/2 cup butter

1 tablespooon minced dehydrated onion (optional)

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Slice rolls and put small amount of turkey or ham with one slice of cheese.  Place sandwiches in 2- 9x13 baking dishes or one large jelly roll pan.  

Heat ingredients for topping in a saucepan until butter is melted. Brush or spoon topping onto sandwiches right before cooking.  Cover with foil.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until cheese melts.

Serves about 15-20.

Tips (aka more than you ever wanted or needed to know about making baked sandwiches):

-These sandwiches may be assembled in advance.  A day before is fine, but don't brush with drizzle until right before cooking.  Store in fridge covered tightly with foil.

-*Deli meat- Slice the meat in half with a sharp knife (I cut the meat all at once). If you have 36 rolls, order 18 slices of deli meat, cut in half. 

-We used a combo of ham/swiss and turkey/havarti. Both were delicious.

-For a gathering at the school, and Anibelle's baby blessing, I used Costco large croissants and cut them in half after stuffing with meat and cheese. We used:

3 doz  large croissants

4 lbs ham or turkey

2 lbs sliced cheese

Served approx 75. 

-I use the Walmart Brand rolls, found near their deli when making these for a large (100+) crowd. I pinned the rolls here, so you can see what they look like. The rolls come 16 to a package. I like these for a crowd, because they are inexpensive and they stack well, without smashing if you need to buy a large quantity. I have also used a roll that looks similar to a Granny Sycamore cluster roll from Costco. They only sell these in the fall and winter months. This roll is much thicker than the Walmart brand roll,  and I add more meat to the sandwich when using the Granny roll, so the meat is not lost in the roll!

-Cooking for 100:

plan on about 1 1/2 rolls per person if you are serving other buffet items such as salads, appetizers, sweets.

10 packages of "The Bakery" rolls from Walmart, (Potato or Sweet Hawaiian) 16 per pkg =160 rolls

Deli meat sliced, approx 80 slices, cut in half to yield 160 slices

cheese slices, approx 80 slices, cut in half to yield 160

topping:

1 1/4 lb butter, melted (5 sticks)

8 tablespoons poppy seeds

6 tablespoons mustard

3-4 tablespoons dehydrated onion (optional)

2 tablespoons Worcestershire

Follow directions above for baking.

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Cooler Corn for 350

How do you cook corn on the cob for 350?

Here's the recipe/method we used at Girl's Camp last month. 

Best way to cook corn for a crowd. Ever. 

Cooler Corn (for 350)

A Bountiful Kitchen

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175 ears of corn, husked and broken in half to yield 350 pieces

boiling water

coolers (we used two 165 Quart coolers they were about 1/2 full of corn, you may use smaller coolers)

About 2 1/2 to 3 hours before serving, start boiling water. We boiled about 40-50 quarts of water per cooler. 

Split the cobs evenly between coolers. 

Pour boiling water into coolers with corn. 

Close lid and don't open for at least 30 minutes, or until time to serve. 

Tips:

-Corn takes about 30 minutes to cook.  Will stay warm in cooler for up to three hours, unless the lid is opened :) 

-Don't worry, the corn will not over cook. 

-We assigned a couple of people to sit on chairs and serve the corn with tongs. We had the servers open the small "door" on the lid of the cooler instead of the large lid; this allowed the water to stay warm until everyone was served. Place a bowl of melted butter with brushes on a table for those who want butter. 

-You may use any amount of corn, follow directions above. Don't fill the cooler more than 3/4 with corn to allow for an adequate amount of hot water to cook the corn. 

-We used most of the corn we cooked, the extra cobs were cut up and used in a Southwest Salad the next evening.

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Kash's Red Raspberry Dutch Oven Cobbler

If you are looking for a simple treat for camping, and you're willing to step outside the S'more box, you've come to the right place.
Are you in charge of dessert for your Lake Powell trip or your family reunion?  The possibilities are endless with this basic recipe (see suggestions below).  If it were any more simple it would be take out.
This treat is perfect paired with fresh raspberries and cream, or stacked (Dutch oven talk) with Kash's Black Cherry Chocolate Dutch Oven Cobbler, for your favorite chocoholic.

Red Raspberry Dutch Oven Cobbler
Kash Castleberry
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one 12-14 inch Dutch Oven
2 cans raspberry pie filling
1 yellow cake mix
oil for cake mix*
fresh raspberries and mint for garnish (optional)

Line the Dutch oven with foil for easy clean up.
Heat briquettes in chimney for 15-30 minutes
While briquettes are heating, place raspberry filling in Dutch oven.
Mix cake according to package directions, omitting eggs and adding extra 1/4 cup water instead. (eggs make the cobbler puff up too much while baking).
Pour cake mix on top of fruit. Place lid on Dutch oven.
Place 7-10 coals below oven, and 16 coals on top of oven lid in a circular fashion.
Bake for about 30-35 minutes for 14 inch or about 35-40 minutes for a 12 inch Dutch oven, checking after about 15 minutes. If desired, rotate lid 1/4 turn to left and Dutch oven 1/4 turn to the right for more even heating.
Serve with cream or ice cream, garnish with fresh raspberries and mint if desired.

Tips:
See this post for more on Dutch oven cooking and heating up briquettes, etc.
*-We were at our cabin when I made this and I forgot to buy oil. So we melted a cube of butter instead of using vegetable oil. It baked up perfectly. Just in case you are worried about not getting enough sat fat in your diet. 
-If baking in an oven at home, I suggest baking in a large cast iron skillet or two 9 inch round cake pans at 350 for about 35-45 minutes, or until cake is done.
-Alternatives to the raspberry/yellow cake combo:
use a chocolate cake mix and raspberries.
lemon cake and lemon filling.
Strawberry cake and cherry filling.
Mix a few mini chocolate chips into the yellow cake mix.
Lay a few broken up Hershey bars on top of the cake after baking and let melt slightly.
Top with fresh raspberries, blueberries and serve with whipped cream for a red, white and blue dessert.
Use a spice cake mix and apple pie filling on the bottom layer.

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Kash's Black Cherry Chocolate Dutch Oven Cobbler

We purchased our Dutch ovens about twenty years ago, with the thought in mind we would use the Dutch ovens for cooking in the wilderness.
Grant is a big time: camper/hiker/backpacker/bowhunter/all around guy's guy. Whatever that means. He loves anything that has to do with the out-of-doors. Me, on the other hand...
Well.
Let's just say a couple of days at our cabin fills my quota for getting in touch with nature. That said, once every three or four years, I dust off the Dutch ovens and channel my inner pioneer.

While I was at Stake Girl's Camp last week, my new friend Kash (who I was privileged to work with in the kitchen) provided this recipe and all of the ingredients (right down to the briquettes) for all the Young Women and their leaders at camp. Yikes. That was a lot of work. Thanks Kash.
The recipe was a winner! Everyone loved the gooey, rich, chocolaty-cherry dessert. It takes about two minutes to throw in the Dutch oven and cooks in about 30-40 mins. We made this at our cabin for the Fourth, and everyone loved it. I also made Kash's Red Raspberry Dutch Oven Cobbler, which I'll post next.
Get on your pioneer. You'll love this dessert.

Kash's Black Cherry Chocolate Dutch Oven Cobbler
Kash Castleberry
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one 12-14 inch dutch oven
2 cans cherry pie filling
1 box Devils Food Cake
1-12 oz can Black Cherry Soda ( I used Shasta)
1-12 oz bag chocolate chips, semi sweet or milk
heavy duty foil (optional)

About 1/2 hour before cooking:
Heat briquettes in chimney for 15-30 minutes until briquettes turn white. Directions here.
Line the dutch oven with heavy duty foil*. Spray foil lightly with cooking spray.
Spoon cherry pie filling into foil lined pan. Sprinkle dry cake mix evenly on top of fruit.
Pour Black Cherry Soda over dry cake mix. Mix gently with fork so the soda doesn't mix too deep into the cherry layer. Don't worry about mixing too much, the moisture will even out during baking.
Place the dutch oven lid on.
Place 7-10 coals below the oven, and 16 coals on top of the oven in a circular fashion.
Bake 25-35 minutes for a 14 inch oven and 30-40 for a 12 inch oven.
Check after about 15 minutes. When cake is done, remove from heat and sprinkle with chocolate chips. Place lid back on and allow chocolate to melt.  Serve warm with cream or ice cream.
Serves 15-18.

Tips:
-Dutch Oven purists will probably frown upon the use of foil to line the pan. I say easier is better while camping. You may make this dessert without lining the pan, but be prepared to clean up a sticky mess off the bottom of the pan :)
-I suggest preparing this dish before dinner. After the cobbler is done cooking, remove from heat.  It will keep warm for at least a couple of hours with the lid on.
-When we first started Dutch oven cooking, we (I use the term "we" loosely) thought if 10 coals on the bottom were good, 20 were better. Not so. If the recipe calls for 10 on the bottom and 16 on the top, follow the recipe suggestion. Or you'll have blackened cobbler.
-When baking in a Dutch oven, more of the coals should be on top (or on the lid) of the oven to prevent burning the bottom of the dish.
-Briquettes vs other brands-  Kash only likes to use Kingsford. I agree. We have experimented with other brands, Kingsford is best.

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Baked Ziti (new and improved) and Girl's Camp 2013

Last week I joined 300+ young women and their leaders in the mountains above Heber City. Depending on the day, we had between 330-350 girls and leaders in attendance.
With a crew of 7 joyful, hardworking women, we planned, cooked, and served about 3300 meals in 5 days. Did you just go back and re read that? Me too. Our meals included some ABK favorites: Teriyaki Spinach Pasta Salad,  Southwest Salad with Cilantro Honey Lime Dressing, Sweet Baked Beans (click on links for recipes) , and our favorite pasta- Baked Ziti. Ziti for camp? You know how they say food always tastes better when you're camping? I never fell for that line, but it's true if you are eating Baked Ziti.
We also made some new favorites I'll post in the next few weeks:  Kash's Black Cherry Chocolate Dutch Oven Cobbler, Janis' Hot Fudge Sauce, Slow Cooked Roast for French Dip and Cooler Corn for 350.  

Here are a few pics of our adventures in the mountains  kitchen...

The kitchen crew: Janis,Jenny,Brenda, me, Michelle, Mims, Stephanie, Kash.
Amazing women. 

Remember when I first posted Cook's Illustrated Baked Ziti  back in 2009? After making the Cook's recipe several times, I decided it needed a little tweaking. The biggest issues I had with their recipe were:

1. It was a bit on the dry side, especially when heating up for leftovers. 

2.There were too many steps (dishes to pour in and out of and other unnecessary complications). The recipe needed to be streamlined. 

I set out to make a dish with more sauce and easy to create in about 30 minutes. 

The result-we love this dish. 

The girls loved this dish. 

All 300 of them. 

Baked Ziti

A Bountiful Kitchen, adapted from Cook's Illustrated

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1 pound Ziti or other short, tubular pasta (it is usually easier for me to find Rigatoni)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 medium garlic cloves , minced
2-15 oz can tomato sauce

1-8 oz can tomato sauce
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper, about 1 teaspoon each
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves, divided
1 teaspoon sugar
Ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 cup heavy cream

1 pound whole milk cottage cheese or low fat  cottage cheese
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 1/2 cups)
8 ounces low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella cheese , cut into 1/4-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 cups)

Cook pasta for about 9 minutes. Drain and set aside. 

Place oil and garlic in large pan and sauté over medium heat just until fragrant. Add all of the tomato sauce, chopped tomatoes, sugar, oregano, salt and pepper and cook for about 10 minutes until thickened a bit. Turn off heat and add 1/2 cup of chopped basil. 

Pour heavy cream into a second large saucepan. While cream is cold, whisk in 1 teaspoon of cornstarch.  Simmer over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and add 1lb of cottage cheese, 2 beaten eggs, 1 cup of the tomato sauce mixture, and half of the Parmesan and cubed mozzarella (reserving the remaining Parmesan and mozzarella for top of dish). Stir until combined (this mixture will now be a light red/pinkish color). 

Add the cooked pasta to the cream mixture. Stir until all of the pasta is coated. 

Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Pour remaining tomato mixture over the top and sprinkle the remaining cubed mozzarella and Parmesan cheese on top of the pasta in dish. Top dish with remaining chopped fresh basil ( I like to save a few leaves for after baking as well for color). 

Cover dish tightly with foil. Bake at 350 degrees on middle rack of oven for 30 minutes with foil, then remove foil for last 30 minutes. Let sit for about 10 minutes before serving. 

Tips (longer than the recipe):
-We made 17x this recipe for the girls and divided it into 8 large (20 3/4 x 12 3/4x 3 inches deep-disposable foil steam table pans) The pans served about 35-40 each.
-We prepared the Ziti and covered each pan with foil until baking. The dish was prepared Saturday morning, and was baked Monday late afternoon. It was as good as if it were prepared on the same day.
-This dish may also be frozen after ingredients are poured into the pan.  About two hours before baking, remove from freezer and set on counter. When ready to bake, place in oven at 325 for 1 1/2 hours on middle rack.  After 1 1/2 hours, turn oven to 375, remove foil,  and bake an additional 15 minutes. Allow more time if multiple pans are being baked in the same oven (about 15  minutes per pan, while covered).
-If you don't have a basil plant, or enough basil to make this dish, I suggest a trip to Trader Joes, where you can buy (the biggest basil plant you have ever seen in your life) for $2.99 . That's right $2.99.  We used three trees plants to make 17 times this recipe, it was more than enough fresh basil for our Ziti-a-thon.
-When I first started making this dish as a child (jk) , I thought fresh mozzarella was always the best choice when following a recipe that called for mozzarella. Not so. It has way too much moisture for this dish. A firm mozzarella, that can easily be cut into cubes works best. It melts into the pasta dish without leaving water in the bottom of the dish.
-If you are making this recipe in large quantity, I found that the #10 cans found at Costco and other restaurant suppliers will cover 3x this recipe for the tomato sauce. So instead of: 2-15 oz cans and 1-8 oz can of tomato sauce for every three times this recipe, I used 1 #10 can of tomato sauce (approx 96 oz), and one additional 15 oz can of tomato sauce. If you 6x the recipe, use 2 #10 cans of tomato sauce and one #10 can of diced tomatoes.

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Billion Dollar Bars aka Homemade Candy Bars

Do you Pinterest?
Apparently everyone is Pinning these days.
Last week, Bonnie Oscarson was named the new General Young Women President of the LDS (Mormon) church. The lead line of a news story I read about Sister Oscarson stated that she is on Pinterest. Of course,  people weighed in on her activity online. Some of the comments stated were negative. Others positive. My thought?
Wow, she's one of us :)
Here's a recipe I found recently and Pinned. If you are a peanutbutterandchocolate kind of gal, you have to make this.
R I G H T  N O W .

Billion Dollar Bars

Twirl and Taste

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Bottom Chocolate Layer:

1 cup milk chocolate chips (or half semi-sweet)
1/3 cup butterscotch chips
1/3 cup peanut butter
Melt milk chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and peanut butter in a pan over low heat; stirring constantly. Pour mixture into a 9 x 13″ baking pan lightly coated with nonstick spray or lined with plastic wrap which is long enough to drape over sides of the pan. Spread mixture and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Nougat Layer

4 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1-1/2 cups marshmallow creme
1/3 cup peanut butter
1-1/2 cups chopped salted peanuts (optional)
Melt butter over medium heat in pan; add sugars and evaporated milk; bring to a boil, and cook additional 5 minutes while stirring. Remove from the heat and add marshmallow creme and peanut butter. Pour over the bottom layer and gently spread mixture. If you use peanuts, scatter across the top. Place in the refrigerator for 15 - 30 minutes.

Caramel Layer

1 (14-ounce package) caramel candy
1/4 cup cream
1 tablespoon butter
Place the unwrapped caramel candy, butter, and cream in a medium saucepan. Place over low heat and stir until the mixture has completely melted and is smooth. Pour in the pan and quickly spread over nougat layer. Place in the refrigerator for 15 - 30 minutes.

Top Chocolate Layer

1 cup milk chocolate chips (or half semi-sweet)
1/3 cup butterscotch chips
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

chopped almonds
Melt milk chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and peanut butter in a pan over low heat, stirring consistently. Pour over the caramel layer and spread. 

Sprinkle chopped nuts over top of chocolate while still soft. 

Place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before cutting into squares. These are very rich, cut into small squares. If eating right away, place on platter and serve. If the bars start to get too soft, place in refrigerator to firm up a bit. 

Store in an air-tight container in refrigerator.

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Cutler's Frosted Peanut Butter Cookies

It's January 15. Are you ready to break your New Years resolution? Read on.
Back in November, Curt Cutler taught a class on one of his best sellers: Frosted Peanut Butter cookies. The class was packed, and everyone left with little tricks and tips on how to make the perfect chocopeanutbutter treat. You've never had one of these delightful goodies? Think of chocolate chip cookie dough, only with peanut butter chips instead of chocolate. Add a thin layer of peanut butter frosting, topped with chocolate butter cream frosting.
Oh my.
Forget the diet.
Get out the mixer.
BTW - If you live in the area and want to learn how to make Cutler's famous Sugar cookies  Curt's teaching a class on Wednesday, January 30.  Two classes:
10 am  and 2 pm  (update-both filled as of 1/24). Ten dollars buys you: instruction, recipes, a sample and lunch. Pre-registration required. Hurry classes are filling up fast.
Where else can you get a deal like that?
Btown.
Love it.






Cutler's Frosted Peanut Butter Cookies
Curt Cutler
print recipe

1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
3 1/4 cups cake flour ( he uses cake flour in all of Cutler's cookies)
1- 12 oz bag Reese's Peanut Butter chips (no substitutions)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and place rack in center of oven.
Cream together butter, sugars, salt, baking soda and powder.  Add vanilla and eggs. Mix well.
Add flour and peanut butter chips. Mix just until flour and chips are blended together.
Using a cookie scoop or ice cream scoop, or just a large spoon, scoop into 2 inch balls and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet about 4 inches apart.  I bake about 8 cookies per sheet.
Bake for about 12 minutes, or until set.

Peanut Butter Frosting

1/2 cup butter, soft-room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter (not natural)
milk to thin to proper consistency (whole milk is best)

Cream together room-temperature butter and powdered sugar. Add peanut butter and beat until smooth. Add milk a tablespoon at time, just until frosting is smooth and creamy. Set aside.

Chocolate Frosting
1 cup butter or 1/2 and 1/2 blend butter/margarine
5-6 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa (or less if you like a lighter cocoa frosting)
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/4 to 1/3 cup milk

Cream butter and 5 cups powdered sugar. Add cocoa and vanilla. Add milk a tablespoon at a time until frosting is smooth. If needed, add more powdered sugar.

After cookies are cooled, frost with peanut butter frosting. Then frost on top of the peanut butter frosting with the chocolate frosting. When spreading the chocolate frosting on top of the peanut butter frosting, be very gentle and leave a small space between the edge of the peanut butter frosting and the chocolate frosting for a layered frosting look (see photos).

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Spiced Donut Muffins

Last week I made some muffins for a Christmas breakfast. I estimated that wo-thirds of the attendees would be 16 and under, so I looked for a recipe that would appeal to both young and old eaters. Donut muffins? Seemed like a slam dunk.  The tops puff up so they are nice and rounded. You know, the type of muffin tops kids love to eat and then leave the bottom for you to finish?  I found the recipe on the King Arthur website. The reviews were mostly positive, so I decided to whip up a double batch.
If you are looking for a sweet treat to go with your Christmas breakfast, look no further. This is quick and easy and tastes like a spiced cake donut, in a muffin. Yum.
You probably have all of the ingredients in your pantry right now if you want to make a batch for, um, testing purposes.
Christmas is in less than two weeks.
I need to quit baking and start shopping.

Spiced Donut Muffins
Adapted from King Arthur Flour
print recipe

Muffins:
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 2/3 cups flour ( I used 1 1/3 cake flour, 1 1/3 all purpose)*
1 cup milk, whole, or reduced fat is fine

Topping:
3 tablespoons melted butter
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon or cinnamon/nutmeg mixture


Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Set rack in center of oven. Line 12 muffin cups or grease the cups if not using liners.
In a medium sized bowl, beat the softened butter, vegetable oil and sugars until smooth. Add the eggs and beat again until smooth.
Stir in the baking powder, soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and vanilla.
Stir in the flour and milk alternately, make sure all ingredients are combined.
Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups. The cups should be almost full.
Bake the muffins for 15-18 minutes or until tops are golden brown and set.
Remove from oven.
While muffins are cooling a bit, melt the butter in a small bowl. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, combine the sugar and additional cinnamon.
Take the still hot muffins and dip the top into the melted butter, then the cinnamon sugar mixture.
Best served warm.

Tips:
-I used a blend of cake and all purpose flour to get a lighter muffin texture. You may use either type.
-I adjusted the original amount of nutmeg in this recipe to appeal more to kids. I felt that more cinnamon and less nutmeg worked best. The original recipe called for 1 1/4 teaspoons without cinnamon in the batter.
-Make sure to have the oven heated properly. Pre-heat while you are making the batter.
-This recipe could be altered to use a glaze as the topping, or drizzled chocolate. Or a sprinkle of powdered sugar and unsweetened cocoa. the possibilities are endless.
-One reader suggested pouring these into a donut pan made for baking. After baking, shaking the "donuts" in a paper sack with sugar while still hot.

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